SPEECH 



OP 



MR. DUNCAN, OF OHIO,' 

W * 



ON THE 



GGNCRAL APPROPRIATION BILZ. FOR 1840. 

DELIVERED 



IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL 10, 184a 



]VEW YORK: 

PRINTED AT THE EVENING POST OFFICE. 



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y 



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Speech of Mr. Duucaii, of Ohio, 

In the House of Representatives^ April 1(1, 1840; 

On the Bill making Appropriation for the Civil and Diplomatic Expenses of the 

Government, for the year 1840. 






Ml, DUNCAN havhicj the ll>or, said : ble for such appropriations as these, and, in conse- 

Mr. Chaikman ; I believe the bill before the com- quence of t.hem, denounced for exiravdgance and 



mittee is the general appropriation bill. 

[The Chair answered it was.) 

i will inquire if there is any^particular amend- 
ment, or any particular section of the bill, now un- 
derdiscussion 1 

[The Chair answered no.] 



profligacy, far and wide as tha Union? The in- 
telligence of an honest community supersedes the 
n3cessily of reply to such denunciations. 

But let m?. refer you to thi journals of this House, 
for the truth of another strangle fact. That is, that 
more than three-fourths of all the appropriations 
So 1 supposed, from the range and character of made, over and above ths estimates recommended 
the debate yesterday. The debate yesterday was by the Secretary, and endorsed by the President, 
inonopoli7.eil by the opposition; and tliey talked of have been proposed by th? Opposition, and carried 
everything tliat is now, ever was, and is to come — by a majority of their votes. How does this fact 
abuses of power, panic, ruin, and desolation, of our correspond with the never-ceasing howl of extra- 
lamented country — and ih3 profligacy and extrava- vagance wiili which we are annoyed, and with 
gance of the Adininistration formed, as usual, the which the country is perpetually alarm v| 1 
prmcipal themes. Well, sir, I like sueii latitude in The gentleman from Massachusetts [Mr. CusH- 
debate; it is in character with the liberal, latitudi- ixc;] followed in the wake of the gentleman from 
narian, and free spirit of our political and religious Virginia, and concurs with hini in holding the Ex- 
institutions. I think 1 will take advantage of the ccutive responsible for sucli appropriations. Yes, 
latitude in debate now enjoyed, and talk of some sir, he goes further: he not only holds him respon- 
things, too, not immediately connected with the sub- sible for such appropriations, hut he holds him re- 
ject before the committee, sponsible for any estimates that he may recom- 
It is perhaps uiinecessary for nie to inform the mend, over and above what may strictly be wanted 
people of this country, that such is the frame and for the ordinary support of the Government. Fur- 
character of our Government, that the Executive ther: he holds the Executive responsible for failing 
has no power to appropriate a dollar of the public to recommend estimates and appropriations for 
money for any purpose, nor has he power to expend purposes of internal improvements, when and 
a dollar only as he is authorized by Congress, where they are or shall be necessary. This is 
Whatever of profligacy may exist in the manage- strict accountability on the broadest principles; and 
ment of this Government must be exclu.sively char- what does it all mean ? Ft means, sir, 1st. If Con- 
ged to Congress; and yet the gentlemen from Vir- gress appropriates money without the knowledge, 
ginia [Mr. Wise] stated on yesterday that the Ex- and contrary to the wish of the President, he is to 
ecutive is, and has been, responsible for the last six be held responsible. 2d. if the President recom- 
or seven years for every dollar which has been ap- mends one dollar over the estimates actually neies- 
propriated and expended by Cougress. The gen- sary for Government purposes, for internal im- 
tleman holds the Executive responsible for that over provements, or any other purpose, he is to be held 
which he has no control. Can the President control responsible, and denounced for extravngrtuce and 
the expenditures of Congress 1 No, sir. Congress profligacy; and lastly, if the President withholds his 
has the power of making appropriations to any recommendation of appropriations fur the purposes 
amount, and for any purpose, without consulting of internal improvements, security on the seaboard, 
the President — without his approbation, and con- &c. he is to be held responsible, and denounced for 
trary to his wish. The power of the President to " ma only sneaking and skulking" Irom the respon- 
prohibit extravagant appropriations is negative, and sibility and duties attached to his offi-e. 
even that power avails him nothing, provided two- Verily, these gentlemen remind me of a certaia 
thirds of each branch of Congress vote for an ap- Proorustcs I once read of— a man of horrible cruelty, 
propriation ; for the bill making the appropriation. It is said of him that he used to place on a bed, tra- 
in that case, is a law with or without his signature vellers who fell into his hands, and if they were 
or approbation. Sir, I refer you to the President's too long for his bed, he cut off the projecting part, 
messages, and to the reports and estimates of the and if they were too short, he plficed anvils under 
Secretary of the Treasury for the truth of the fact, their feet, and lieat them out till they equalled the 
that one-half of all the moneys appropriated is done lentrth of the bed. 

by the authority, and upon the responsibility of Mr. Chairman, I am not extravagant when I say 
Congress alone. The Secretary of the Treasury one half of the time of this House is consumed bjr 
presents to Congress estimates of the amount of the Opposition in denouncing the Administration 
appropriations necessary for Government purposes, for its profligacy and extravagance. If the Oppo- 
and the President endorses these estimates and re- sition are sincere in the charg^es which they make, 
commends them. Here his responsibility ends; will the people not hold them o a fearful accounta- 
but Congress have yearly made appropriations far bility for their gross neglect of duty when they are 
above the estimates of the Secretary of the Treasu- apprised of the fact that not the first attempt has 
ry, and for other purposes entirely, than those re- been made by that party to reform the abuses of 
commended. Is the Executive to be held responsi- which they complain'? If such abuses eXist, thd 



aolemn oath they have taken, in presence of heaven 
and man, to faithfully discharge their official du- 
ties, binds them to the throne of eternal responsi- 
bility to their conscience and to their country, to 
point out those abuses, and to recommend a remedy. 
If they will, the Democratic party here, to a man, 
will gladly join with them, heart and hand, in as- 
sisting them in reformation. Where are the abuses 
of which you complain 1 Are there more officers 
than are necessary to manage the Government 1 
then point them oui, and they will be removed. 
Are there officers who do not do their duly 1 point 
them out, and they will be reformed. Ai'e the sa- 
laries of officers and clerks higher than necessary to 
secure men competent and qualified to discharge 
the duties and trusts severally connected with their 
offices 1 then point them out, and they will be re- 
duced. Sir, I have a right to demand that the Op- 
position shall discharge the duties I have here pro- 
posed. The country will demand it at their hands, 
or they must cease their clamor of profligacy against 
the Administration. But they will not attempt to 
propose a reform, or point out an evil. They know 
that the Government is as well and as economically 
administered as it can be. They know the business 
of the Government cannot be administered with a 
less number of officers and clerks than arc now em- 
ployed; and they also know that competent men 
cannot be obtained to discharge the official duties, 
for salaries reduced below their present standard. 

Extravagance and profligacy is the howl of the 
demagogue in all Governments, and it is the howl 
of the demagogue in this Government. 

I have said that the Opposition have pointed to no 
instance of extravagance. I was wrong. They 
have pointed out one item. I allude to the public 

£ riming. That item has been thrown up to the 
lemocracy more than one thousand times tliis ses- 
sion ; and from the fact that that single item has 
been harped upon in almost every speech that has 
been made by the Opposition, it is fair to presume 
they know of no other instance of extravagance; 
and how do they stand in relation to that 1 During 
the last Congress the Opposition had a decided ma- 
jority in this House. They elected a Printer of their 
own party. Yes, sir, they elected a man of their 
own; and who was he? A miserable tool of a 
miserable faction — (I mean the Conservatives) — 
an empty, brainless coxcomb, without a name, a 
residence, or a foothold on the face of the earth — 
a pennyless loafer — sue of the gaunt lounging of- 
fice seekers that beset this Capitol, and ride you 
like the nightmare, without the means of doing the 
printing, and I believe without the first dollar to pro- 
cure the means; and what was the consequence of 
his election"} The public printing, in place of being 
done by the Government's confidential sworn offi- 
cer, was farmed out to Gales and Seaton, not confi- 
dential and sworn officers of the Government. Yes, 
sir, the public printing was farmed out, and tlie 
man of straw elected (I mean the Editor of the 
Madisonian) received ten thousand dollars per 
annum for the office and trust thus reposed in him, 
and Gales and Seaton did the printing for the 
balance of the profits. What was the course of 
the Opposition then, think you? Was it to reduce 
the printing! No, sir; not a word was then said 
about the extravagance and profligacy of the pub- 
lic printing; but, on the contrary, more fat jobs of 



printing were thrown into the hands of ih&i cor- 
rupt and fraudulent combination than hae ever 
been done in any Congress since the organiza- 
tion of the Government, or the establishment of 
public printer, by which the public printing was 
swelled to upwards of $231,000, which is more 
h n double as much as it ever amounted to before, 
and that enabled Gales and Seaton to pay the 
enormous rent of ten thousand dollars. But as 
soon as the party character of this House was 
changed, and the printing was about to fall 
into Democratic hands, the yelp of extravagance 
in the public printing was raised by a hundred 
Whig tongues, that had before been as silent on 
that subject as the grave. But, sir, what did the 
Democracy do on the resolution of the gentleman 
from Georgia [Mr. Black 1] They ordered a 
committee to investigate the subject of the publie 
printing, and to report to this House what they 
might find to be a fair and just compensation for 
the public printing; and Blair and Rives were 
elected public printers, on the condition that they 
were to receive such a compensation. That com- 
mittee have made their report; it is now on the 
Clerk's table ; it is in favor of retrenchment, and 
the Democracy will sustain it. So much for re- 
form in the public printing, the only item of pre- 
tended extravagance jx)inted out, or attempted to 
be exposed by the Opposition ; and that item 
would have remained unexposed by them if the 
printing had remained in the hands of their 
party pets. 

" Office holders and spoils party." Sir, have 
not every foaling you possess, physical and men- 
tal, been nauseated and sickened at that incessant 
cry — that miserable hungry howl of lamentation, 
which is never permitted to die on your ear? I once 
before exposed the fact by tables and figures, that 
more than one-half of all the offices of the Go- 
vernment are occupied by Federalists, and I now 
assert it to be a fact; but one-half is not enough for 
them. " Being of ike belter sort of socicli/, they 
claim them all ; and nothing short of their full 
possession will ever satisfy a party wliose princi- 
ples teach them to believe they are born to rule 
the " common people." The Federal party claim 
oflice as a natural and political right, composed, as 
they claim to be, of " the decency," and " better sort 
of people," they " arc bom to rule the swinisk muUi- 
tii.de." This right has been disputed by the Demo- 
cracy ; and it is this dispute, and the rights and 
principles involved, that have produced all the po- 
litical struggles and turmoils that have been wit- 
nessed since the commencement of our Government. 
Will the Democracy now surrender ? Heretofore 
the claims of the Federalists for all the officers have 
made in blustering demands; now they are made 
in pitiful whining, sickening, crocodile whimper- 
ings. The Democracy, in the support of stern 
principles, resisted the one. Will they now per- 
mit tlieir sympathies to be so overcome as to yield 
to the other 1 Will they permit their principles, to 
maintain which they have so long, and so man- 
fully contended, now to be sacrificed at the hungry 
yelp and pitiful whine of a host of lean, lank, lazy, 
lounging office seekers, which beset this CapitoH, 
and annoy the country elsewhere 1 " The spoils 
party ;" and what would the hungry Federal office 
seekers be, if t,hey were to get all the offices and 



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spoils ' Would they not be " th '. spoils par' if too : 
and how much would the community be benefited 
by the change'' I ask vs'liat benefit the tax payins: 
community would derive by'tuminj^ out the well 
fed, fat, clean, sleek, Democratic oflice holders, and 

Suttirtfj in a swarm of hungry, lean, starved Fc- 
eral office icci'er.<? 
Panic! panic! panic! That's the string lo pull. 
Turn back to the history of your Presidential cloo- 
tions, and show i\v one in the poliiiciil statistics of 
yi)ur country, if you can, that has not been swamp- 
ed m the Federal cry ofpanic. Examine the pub- 
licjournals from tlie commencement of Presidential 
elections to this time, and you will find by them 
that every *yf;ar that a President has had to be 
elected, is a year of panic and desolation. The 
CTy of '■ fianir and dcsoLilioa" is one of the stand- 
ing modfx of electioneering. The people understand 
it, and arc no longer to be gulled by it, and they look 
with contempt upon those who make it, as they do 
upon the slandern- and calunmiator of American in- 
stitutions and the American charactar. The yelp 
of panic, ruin, and distress, is now overspreading 
the land, and doing its base and dirty work of slan- 
der upon the character of our couniry. Where is 
the panic and distress to be found? Where it al- 
ways will be found : among the jtenniless loafers of 
yourcountry — those who are too lazy and too proud 
•to work, and have nothing to trade upon. All the 
panic and distress we have, consists in the inability 
of that class to enjoy the " f; lories of Lhs credit sys- 
tem." Show me the man in our wide-spread Union 
(except he lias been the subject of mistortune) who 
Qepends upon his own indusvty and liis own re- 
sources, that cannot laugli at your panic and sneer 
at your demagogical cry of distress. And here I 
must qualify this general remark, by the exception 
of many hundreds of pSrsons of the most useful 
class of society. I mean those wlio labor in man- 
ufacUiries. They arc, no doubt, .seriously affected 
by th?. depressed and deranged state of the curren- 
cy ; but all their difficulties grow out of their con- 
nection with institutions, tlie proprietors and own- 
ers of which have not capital of their own by 
which to conduct them. If such persons will study 
their own real interests, they vvill cut loose from 
such establishments and such proprietors, change 
their business, or engage in the employment of 
those who have not to depend upon the smiles and 
favors of binks, and the uncertaintic.-* of the '■'glo- 
rious credit system." 

But, sir, what if there is distress and panic in 
the country f What is the cause of it but your 
miserable banking and credit system— a system 
that the united efforts of the Democracy have been 
directed to overthrow, so far as it i.i exclusive, mo- 
nopolizing, and partial in its operation— a system, 
which, so long as it exists, will produce periodical 
derangement of the currency of the country, and 
distress with those who trade upon capital not their 
own. 

But, I repeat, what if there is panic and distress in 
the country'? Hss Congress pov.-. r to irive relief] 
What constit itionnl authority ha%'c we for making 
tliis Capitol a po')r-house! And by what constitution^ 
al authority can members of Congress in their repre- 
sentative capieity, assumri to themselves the office of 
overseers of the poor 1 Su -h a u^e ofthis Capitol, and 
such a usurpation of office, and such an exercise of 
power, was never contemplated by the framers of 



this Government ; nor is it any where, except in 
the babbling noise of the demagogue, or in the 
brain of the raving political monomaniac. Sir, it 
is a settled principle, and a fact well known and 
universally understood, that all the wealth of this 
country is dug in sweat from her soil ; and all the 
comforts and conveniences of life arc the offspring 
of the united labor of the farmer and the mechanic, 
and upon that must we depend for all we pos.sess, 
either as a nation or as individuals composing a 
nation. And let me assure you, whatever system 
of policy maybe established by legislation, which 
will enable one part of the community to live with- 
out labor, must and will have the tendency to throw 
a greater portion of labor upon those not so favor- 
ed. Such is the natural consequence, and such the 
practical effect, as all ex])efiencc has shown, and 
will continue to show ; and such is the credit and 
banking .system, as it has existed, and now exists, 
in this country. 

All the panic and distress that now hangs over 
us as a people, or any portion of us, had their ori- 
gin in extravagance, idleness, or overtrading. That 
fact dare not be denied ; nor dare it be denied that 
they have had their foundation in the credit and 
banking system, by the facilities they afford to live 
without labor, and temptations to speculate. 

While I am unwilling to admit that any man 
here can go before me in coinmisserating the mis- 
fortunes of my fellow-beings, nor can any one re- 
joice more al the jirosperity of our country, and 
the happiness of every class of society, than I do, 
yet I hold that Congress has neither the power nor 
the means to give relief in cases of distress. I say 
that Congress has no such power. I mean by that, 
th-it Congress has no power to tax one portion of 
the community to relieve the distresses of another. 
Such a power cannot be exercised in justice, nor 
did ever the framers of the Constitution (»ntem- 
plate such an exercise of power. Congress can 
give no relief on any other principle than by an 
unjust and unconstitutional system of taxation, ei- 
ther directly or indirectly. To all such applications 
for relief, (I mean for such distress as is now said 
to pervade the country,) as a Representative, I must 
say, (however cold, heartless, and disconsolate the 
advice may be considerrd,) go home, work harder, 
and live more economically, and relief will be your 
reward. Sir, I have said that the cry of panic, as 
in times before, is made for political effect and party 
purpo.sp.s. It is so, and such is the object of the 
demagogue. But, I have the charity to believe that 
some of those who are attempting to spread the 
alarm of distn-ss are, or think they arc, sincere; 
but I am constrained to believe that many of that 
clas.s are laboring under a species of derangement. 
There is a kind of der;uigement called monomania, 
which leaves the individual affected with it in full 
possession of his reasoning powers, on all subjects 
except the one on which he is deranged. For in- 
stance, the monomaniac is deranged on the subject of 
religion, and perfectly rational on all oihers. Hence 
it is said that some p'^rsons fancy themselves to be 
the Saviour of mankind, or to be one of the ancient 
prophets, and, in some instances, to be the Almighty 
himself; or he may be deranged upon the subject 
of mechanics; lience it is you hear of persons 
spending a great portion of their lives in attempt- 
ing to invent the perpetual motion. So it is with 
the alchemist, who spends his lile in pursuit of the 



philosopKer'a store. So it is with metaphysics, {ac. 
And yet persons laboring under this species of de- 
rangement may be perfectly capable of attending to 
ordinary business. Professor Tital of Jena con- 
tinued to perform his professional Juiies for some 
time, aithougli laboring under ihe fixed hallucina- 
tion of believing himself to be the EliTipevor of Rome. 
Many other instances of a similar character could 
be cited. Alexander Pope, in a few lines, illustrates 
in an interesting; and forcible manner, the various 
effects of monomania on diiferent individuals. He 
sung thus : 

" Unnumbered throns;s on evcrv side are soee, 
Of bodies changed by various forms of spleen, 
Here living teapots stand, one arm held out, 
One bent ; the handle this, and that the 'Spout , 
A pipkin tticre, like Homer's tripod, walks, 
Here sighs ajar, and there a goose-pie talks, 
Men piove with cliild, as powerful fancy works, 
And maids, turned bottles, cry aloud for corks." 
Well, sir, we see that men becoaie deranged on 
rsligion, mechanics, metaphysics, (fee. ; why may 
they not become deranged on the subject <if poH- 
icsl Tht;y do. Our medical records furnish many 
instances of the kind ; so they do on subjects of 
finance and economy. The celebrated Dr. Eberly 
..informs us that he knew a person who for more 
than twenty years was firmly persuaded that he 
■was the President of the United States; and yet 
this man would converse and think rationally upon 
all the ordmary concerns of life. We have all 
"heard of persons in affluent circumstanced pinehioj^ 
thems^'lves with hunger, and clothe in rags, lest 
they should come to want, and die in poverty. 
Such is the political monomania under which some 
of our politicians aionow raving: and if Alexander 
Pope lived at this diiy and in our country, he svould 
sing— 

" Men often turn from reason's shining way 
To cliase a phantom in tlie li'^lit of day ; 
Sane in all matters save the aifairs of stale. 
And wild in them as in the rest they're great. 
Now preach they panic v/ith a sing-song tone. 
When panic lives within their breasts aio-ne ; 
Now hear they furies yell in deep despair, 
With deadly serpents hissing from their hair.* 

i'oIitiraDy mad a.i Bedlam's King, 
Around ttie v/orld their doleful song they sing, 
O'er fortile iield.s they leave their baneful tracfc, 
8Iew up the world, and chuckle at the crack 

Such is the hell-bom phantasy that holds 
The Federal prophets in its crimson folds ; 
Makes banks perfection, by a simple thought, 
And strive.* to teach men what can ne'er be taiichl.- 
But, Mr. Chairman, 1 told you 1 intended to talk 
of some things not imniediaiely connected with the 
bill under considerauon. £ desire to talk some 
about the Presidential election. I hope I will not 
be considered out of order. When the aimple pro- 
position to instruct the Committee on Finance to 
report an appropriation for the Cumberland road, 
■was before the House, the Whigs used up one en- 
tire week in attempting to prove that Geneial Har- 
rison ought to be elected President of the United 
Slates. 1 hope it will now be in order, on the 
general appropriation bill, for me to use an hour or 
two in attempting to prove that he should not be 
elected. 

So, sir, I proceed with my proofs and objections. 

One of the modes now employed to secure tiic 

OTcrthrow of the Administration, and secure the 

* The Furies were said by anrionts to have fierj' serpents 
hissing from thou- ) air. , ■ : , j 



election of the Federal candidate, is 'o impress on 
the minds of the people that General Harrison is 
a poor man, and therefore the poor man's friend ; 
that he is the inmato of a log cabm, drinks hard 
cider, and is compelled, now in tlie sun-down of 
his life, to toil in sweat and dust for his daily main- 
tenance; and therefore, if elected to the Presidency, 
will be capable of appreciat-ing the poor man's 
condition, and will direct the administration of the 
Government with reference to the interests and be- 
nefits of that class of the community. These, if 
true, are powerful inducements for the poor and 
the friends of the poor to sustain General Harri- 
son for the Presidency, all other circumstances be- 
ing favorable. But that ho is, or ever was, at 
heart, a friead to the poor man, I am prepared to 
doubt; and with a view of being as brief as possi- 
ble, in support of this belief, I will give one illus- 
tration of the most forcible and undeniable charac- 
ter — and one, too, which, fit the same time that it 
carries truth on its face, will serve to convince 
every man who reads it, or hears it read, that the 
poor man has but little to expect, on the side of 
mercy and favor, from General Harrison or. his ad- 
ministration, if elected. General Harrison is in 
favor of, and has voted for, a law authorising and 
requiring the sale of the poor man in bandage and 
degrading slavery for the payment of a fine and 
costs in which he might be mulcted, or what is tan- 
tamount thereto. This, sir, is a startling state- 
ment ; but \ have the proof at hand— read foi! your- 
self: 

" Extract from the jounial of the State of Ohio, dated 

Tuesday, January 30, 1821. 

''onate met, pursuant to adjournment. 

The Senate then, according to the order of the d&y, ro 
solved into a committee of the whole on the bill from the 
IJouse, entitled "an act for the punishment of certain of- 
lenres ihcinn named,'' and after some time spent thereir., 
the Speaker (Allen Trimble) resumed the chair. 

Mr. fithian then niovod to strike out tlie 18th section of 
said bill, as follows : ■ '. ; > i- • ( , 

"Be itfu.'ther enacted, Tha.t-when atky person shall bejm- 
prisoncd, cither upon execution or otherwise, for the non- 
payment of a fine or cost, or both, it shall be lawful for the 
sherifToftbe county to SELL OUT SUCH, PERSON as a 
SERVANT to nny person within this Stale, who wiU pay 
the whole amount due, for the shortest period of service ; 
of which sale public notice shall be given at least ten days ; 
and upon such sale being effected, the .sheriff shall give the 
j'urchaser a certificate thereof, and from which lime the 
rel.-tion between suf:h purchas-r and prisoner shall be that 
of MASTER and SERVANT, until the lime of service ex- 
pires ; an<l for injuries done ry either, remedy shall be had 
m the same manner as is, or msy be, provided by law In the 
case of master and apprentice. 

" But nothing therein mentioned shall be construed to 
prever:t persons from being disch.arged from imprisonment 
according to the provisions of the tliirty-seventh section of 
the act to which this is supplementary, if it shall be expedi- 
ent to grant such discharge. Provided that the court, in 
pronouncing apon any person convictt.d under this act, or 
the act to which tlus is supplementary, may direct such per- 
son or persons to be detained in prison until the fine be paid, 
or pereons otherwise disposed of agreeably to the provisions 
of this act." 

And the yeas and nays being required ; those who voted 
in the affirmative were : Messrs. Beasly, Brown, Fithian, 
Gass, Heaton, Jennings, Luca-:. Mathews, McLau'^hlm, 
McNUton, Newcomb, Robb, Russell, Scofield, Shelby, 
Spencer, Stone, Swearengen. 'i-hompson, and Womeldorf 
—20 . „ , 

And those who voted in the negative were— -Messr.?. Bald- 
win, Cole, Fco5:, Foster, WILLIAM H. HARRISON, Mc- 
Lean, OsweU, Pollack, Ru-gles, Roberts, "Wheeler ana 
Sjr»eaker-^12. • . . - 

Skcretahy of State's Otficb, ( 
eohunbcs, O. Sept. 10, 1836. ) 

" I cfrrt;fy Xbzi the foregoii;? is a true ■j.i-A ar^irate cop? 



from the journals of the Senate of the State of Ohio, being 
the fii'st session of the 19th Genei-al Assembly, held at Co- 
lumbus, December, 1820. 

See pages 303, 304, 305. 

CARTER B HARLAN. 

Secretary of State." 

Sir, this is the journal, certified to by ihe proper 
officer ; and in order that no false issue may be rais- 
ed as to the meaning or intent of those who voted 
for and against a projxisition degradiii2: to the 



American character, at war with evary principle of 
our free institutions, and constituing u black mark, 
and a foul stain, upon the legislative journals of a 
free State. I .say, that there may be no fi\lso issue 
or mistake, I will submit the remarks of a distin- 
guished statesman and patriot of the last war, al the cost, in whrch^hey "maybe mucited by a"lht 
tmie the measure was under discussion. 1 allude p.-ujencft, without design or intention of or 
to General Robert Lucas, wno distmguisiied him- 
self in our second war for indepsndence; has for 
many years been a member of both branches of the 
Legislature of Ohio; her Governor lor four years, 
and lie is now Governor of the Territory of Iowa. 

Hear what he said : 

" General Robert Lucas, in the true spirit of patriotism, 
made the following remarks : 

'■ What will be the operation of this section?" said Mr. Lu- 
cas. " We will suppose a case : suppose one of the patriots 
of the Revolution should be insulted by an enemy of his 
country, or a tory, who had fought against hjni in the strag- 
gle for liberty, and he should be provoked to commit an as- r J J - • 1- J 
saultin deferidingthohonorof his Government— by our laws qualified to dischurije the complicated, responsible, 
he miglit be prosecuted ami fined. He is poor and unable to and arduous duties which the Constitution, the in- 
fh?s s".f,ofi-t H'rKu?}fc[f XdveTt/seo ¥1^™ BE terests of this country and the policy ofthisGovr- 
SOLD— he is dragged by the crier along the streets— the ernm.^nl impose on the 
man who provoked the assault, bids llie amount of the fine 
and the shortest term of service, say forty years — and the old 
patriot is kaodced off to his per bondas^c. 

" Any unfortunate citizen, who, in an unguarded moment, 
might be thus subjected to the payment of a fine, would bs 
liable to be sold under this section, and driven into slavery 
by a FREE NEGRO, shotUd such a negro choose to become 
the purchaser. 

" This would be revolting to every principle of liumanity, 
and a disgrace to the age in which we live. 

"The question was then taken on Mr. Fithian's motion, 
end carried in the aifirrnative — yeas 20, nays 12. So this 



fought the enemy knee to knee, and breast to brea.st, 
on Bunker Hill, Monmouth, and Trenton, in suf-. 
focaiing dust and smoke; and when your brav4 
comrades in arms were sinking in fatigue and death 
by your side^ You are not here; I will answer 
for you. You had higher objects. Emancipation 
of your country, political liberty, religious tolera- 
tion, and personal freedom, were your stimulants, 
your objects, and your rewards. Then, I ask, can 
you cast your suffrage to the support of a man for 
the highest office in your gift, who stands prepared 
in principle, and has attempted in practice, to sell 
your sons in slavery for the crime of poverty, or 
the misfortune of inability to liquidate a fine and 

tie im- 
pruUence, without design or intention ot crime! I 
am inclined to doubt Gan. Harrison's sympathies 
for the poor man. 

But it is said that " Gen. Harrison is a poor man, 
and lives in a log cabin, and that he toils in sweat 
and dust for his dnily maintenance." These alle- 
gations are either false or they are true. If they are 
false, then it is an attempt to practise a base fraud 
upon tiie Ao^rican people from motives of demago- 
guisin ; but 1 will presume, for the firescnt, that they 
are true. And let me assure you that if General 
Harrison is of the ri^^ht political faith, and is well 



President of the United 
Stales, the factofhs being the lenaiit of a log cabin 
shall heighten my zeal and double my exertions to 
secure his election. The most devoted recollections 
that ! have are associated with scenes and pleasures, 
in boyhood, with th? inmates of log cabins. I was 
raised in a log cabin. Al! my youthful playmates 
were the te:iants of log cabins; and all my youthful 
frolics were played off in log cabins. 

Sir, I di:light'in the very name of a Jog cabin. 

, , , - , jr ,-^v. iiraff ir Tiiere is no' name in the English vocabulary that 

obnoxious provision, voted for and defended by WM. H. , ,, ,■ •,, ° t j i; „i,» „o Ir.™ 

HARRISON, dees not new disgrace trie statute books of dvells up,>n my lips with so much delight as log 

Ohio." cabin. It brin'^s fresh to my recolleetion scenes ot 

Andthis, sir, is the manifestation of General Har- youthful pleasures, which I have never since, nor 

rison's attachments to, and sympathies for, the poor ever will again enjoy. Many and oft is the time 

man. What will the linsey hunting shirt wool hat that I thought, a day a month, in anxious watch for 

inmate of the log cabin, who delights occasionally the setting sun which was the token for the rally to 



in taking a knock down for the laudable pupose of 
improving his courage, and hardening his body, 
(for which he may be made the subject of fine and 
costs, which he may not have the means of paying) 
say to such a manifestation ? What will the crip 



the frolic of tht; log cabin, where I met tl-.ccomradee 
of my youth in dance, play, and song. In the times 
of which 5 am speaking, log cabins were what the 
term means — a house made of round logs, one story 
high, of dimensions suited to the size or number of 



pled war-worn soldier, and patriot of the Rcvolu- the faiuiiy who were to inhabit it, and somvHimes 
Lo such a manifestation ■: Did the buckle with refarencs to an incrcffl'te, a puncheon floor, a .in 



tion, say to 

on his armor, march to the field of battle, face ths 
cannon's mouth, and risk fortune, limb, t\nd life, to 
break the chains of British slavery, that his sons 
and posterity to all time, (in the misfortunes of pov- 
erty) should be the subjects of a law that would have 
disgraced the conscripts of the tyrant in the mo-st 
arbitrary and degraded days of Rome, and make 
them the subjects of bargain and sale, and the slaves 
of the purse-proud and unfeeling Shylock; and that 
too, for the mere crime of poverty, or of not having 
the ability to pay a fine, and a few dollars and cents 
of costs! Sires of the Revolution! was this wh.'xt 
you fought for; was it for this you bared your 
bosoms, and " bore up under the battle's hottest 
rage V Had you no higher object than mere colo- 



bark loft, and a clnpboaid roof The industry of 
the matron and her daughters was displayetl by the 
thick folds of linsey frocks, pantaloons, and hunt- 
ing shirts, which behung its walls. Its loft was 
under'iung with strings of dried pumpkins, and its 
capacity healed and lighted with'a large wood fire 
from its capacious chimney. So much for the de- 
scription. Now for the frolic. The frolic corisislfd 
in dancing, playing, and singing love and murder 
songs, eating johnny cake and pumpkin pics, and 
drinking new whiskey and brown sugar ou* of a 
gourd. Ou dancing in my youthful day, rnd in 
my neighborhood, was done to the performance of 
en old Irishman with one leg, with the heel of which 
hel>eattime, a fiddle with t"l\r.-s strings, to the air 



nial emancipation to stimulate you, when youof- 



" Barney let the girls alone, 
Barney let the girls alone, 
Baxney let the girls alone, 
And let them quiet be. 
Judy put the kettle on, 
Judy put the kettle on, 
Judy put the kettle on. 
And we'll all take tea." 

for, if I recollect right, I think our fiddler played but 
one tune. 

But let me tell you, sir, our girls were not to be 
sneezed at. They presented a form in beauty that 
marked the developments of nature, when unre- 
strained by corsets, and the witliering dissipation 
of fashionable and high life, and their guileless 
hearts looked through a countenance that demanded 
confidence in their innocence and unsullied virtue. 
But, oh ! their forms ! When you plied your arm 
to their waist in the giddy waltz, with the twenty- 
five yards of warm linsey in which they were com- 
fortably enwrapped, you had an armful of health 
and firmness. These constituted my pleasures in 
the days of log cabins, and this is a description of 
log cabins, which, so far as it goes, will be recog- 
nised by those who have been round in the Western 
country. But, sir, the days of log cabins have 
passed away in the older settlements of the West, 
and with them, most of the log cabins ; and with 
the log cabins, many of the amusements common to 
such tenements. All tlie older pioneers of the West 
and their descendants, who have observed that kind 
of prudence, industry, and economy, which consti- 
tute the charactei;jof the good citizen, and entitle 
him to the confidence of honest men, have possessed 
themselves of comfortable and commodious brick 
and frame houses, large barns, and well improved 
farms, checkered witii grain fields of every color, 
and mantled with horses, cattle, sheep, and hogs, 
and with hard cash for a rainy day, and some to 
lend to a friend in need. 

Greneral Harrison was one of the earliest settlers 
of the West. Why is he not provided with the 
means, too, of comforting the sundown of his life? 
It would seem, if he ha"d possessed the ordinary 
prudence, industry, economy, and stability com- 
mon to the pioneers of the West, and which has 
raised them from indigence to comfort and ease, 
and some of them to affluence, he would not now 
necessarily be the humble tenant of a log cabin, 
and have to toil his winter-beaten frame in "the chill 
of old age, for his daily bread. How does this 
matter stand 1 It has become our duty and our in- 
terest to inquire ; for if his poverty is the result of 
misfortunes and untoward circumstances, over 
which he could have had no control, then is it a 
¥irtue rather than a fault, and claims commisera- 
tion. But if it is the result of imprudence, extra- 
vagance, or of ill-directed judgment, the fault is 
his own ; and such faults and frailties clearly ren- 
der hnn unfit to be the Executive Ruler of a great 
and powerful nation. What have been his mis- 
fortunes and what have been his opportunities'? 
I profess to be somewhat acquainted with the his- 
tory of Greneral Harrison's political, military, and 
private life. I am his neighbor, and live in his 
county. As to his private life, I know of no stain 
that for a moment sullies him. I believe he is 
strictly honest. I believe he is liberal, but not so 
to a fault. I have never heard of any pecuniary 
misfortunes the lot of that man ; and I think his 
history (and, by the by, let me here say, that I 



have very little confidence in the history of a man 
written and published in his life time — such a his- 
tory is very apt to be colored and bedizened with 
adulation and flattery) represents him as the de- 
scendant of " noble blood," of highly respectable 
and wealthy parentage. Wealthy parentage 1 
Then he received at his outset a patrimony. What 
has become of that "? Why, if it was not borne 
away upon the wings of misfortune, perhaps it 
was a sacrifice to the inexperience of youth. Be it 
so. That is not to be charged to him as a fault 
now; nor does it make him the less capable of dis- 
charging important official duties, for which he 
may have qualifications. But his history (verbal, 
if not written) represents him as having received a 
large fortune in lands of the most valuable qua- 
lity, and the most eligible location, by his mar- 
riage. What has become of that fortune 1 For 
its flight it will not be so easy to find an apology ; 
for on its reception, he was in the vigour and wis- 
dom of manhood ; with his mind at its strength, 
and with his judgment at its full size. But if the 
log cabin and the poverty story is true, that estate 
is in some way disposed of But that is not alL 
General Harrison has held profitable offices from 
his boyhood. With but little intermission to thi« 
day, his hand has been in the public Treasury, 
Yes, sir, almost without interregnum, through a 
life as long as the Divine promise — for I believe he 
is now on the verge of the horizon of three score 
and ten — and at this moment holds an office worth, 
I think, clear and clean of all expenses, five thou- 
sand dollars per annum. I think I may venture to 
say General Harrison has received from the pub- 
lic Treasury more than one hundred thousand 
dollars. He has drawn more from the public 
Treasury than a six-horse team can haul, in hard 
dollars, over the Alleghany mountains, on the na- 
tional road ; and yet his political partizans claim 
for him the Presidency, because he is poor and 
needy. What has become of this last vast estate 1 
Can his friends answer? 

Why, sir, so far from General Harrison being 
unfortunate, he has been one of fortune's choicest 
and most cherished children. Now, sir, permit me 
to ask, if General Harrison's poverty gives him 
a claim upon the American people either for 
political patronage, or even more than common 
sympathy ; certainly not, uuless it can be shown 
clearly, that he has been reduced to poverty by mis- 
fortunes and calamities beyond his control. While 
it is a settled principle, honorable to the American 
character, that the virtuous and qualified foor man 
is preferred to the virtuous and qualified rich man 
for office, let us inquire whether, when poverty is 
the result of extravagance, profligacy, indolence, a 
weak mind, a bad-directed judgment or misman- 
agement, it does not constitute a disqualification to 
hold a responsible station of an official character. 
Permit me to ask, if the man who has not had the 
capacity to secure a competency for the evening of 
his life out of such vast resources, can safely be 
trusted with the administration of this government'? 
I ask the question in the sphit of candor and truth, 
and it becomes every American to ask the same 
question. Is the man who has not the ability to 
control and manage his own small and circumscrib- 
ed domestic concerns, the suitable man in whose 
hand to place the destines of this nation — the man- 
agement of this widespread and complicated Fed- 



eral Union, wLose harmony and whose duration— 
whoac prosperity at home, and whose character 
abroad, depend upon its judicious h>ws, their best 
direction, and able and faitliful execution 1 A pa- 
triotic and intelli^'ent people will answer this ques- 
tion. 

But, sir, I will now rometo the rescue of General 
Harrison, and relieve him from the incapacity 
which his own friends have virtually and indirect- 
ly charged upon him. General Harrison is not a 
poor man ; he does not live in a log cabin, nor does 
he toil m sweat and dust for his living. He is a 
rich man; he lives in a magnificent franc housf, 
and is surrounded with a princely estate, of as eood 
land as ever the Nile inundated, and as handsome- 
ly and advantageously located as any past which 
the majestic floods of the Ohio or Mississiijpi roll 
from their sources to the Gulf of Mexico. So, sir^ 
all this story about the log cabin is a falsehood.' It 
IS a mean fraud, attempted to be practised upon the 
credulity and sympathies of the American people 
for the base, demagogical purposes of j)olitical de- 
ception. General Harrison is neither to be cherish- 
ed nor repudiated by the log cabin fiction: the whole 
IS a hoax, attempted to be played off for i)olitical ef- 
fect, and worthy of a party who huve a contempt 
for the understanding and intelligence of whatMey 
call the •' co7nm,m people." Such attempts never 
fail to meet the icorn and derision of an honest and 
intelligent community, when and wherever made. 

But indulge me while I attempt to expose another 
inconsistency involved in the log cabin hoax. Who 
were the active agents by which General Harrison 
was presented as a candidate for the Presidency i 
1 he humble inmates of log cabins, think you, sir"? 
JNo, The conventions by which Gen. Harrison's 
nomination was brought forth, in nine individual 
instances out of ten, were composed of any thin" 
but the laboring man of the log cabin. Thf^y were 
composed of, and controlled by, those who have 
neither attachments nor feelings for the loo- cabin 
Class of community, further than to subserve their 
own purposes, further than to make them subservi- 
ent to the establishment of a system of policy by 
wnich they may be made hewers of wood and 
drawers of water to the Federal aristocracy of this 
country. I am not in poss»ssion of the names of 
the individuals composing the different State Fede- 
ral conventions, nor of the names of the delegates 
composing the National Federal Convention held 
at tlarrisburgh; consequently I can sriv nothing of 
their professions and o cupations, fiirtlier than re- 
lates to my own State. I hold in my hand a news- 
paper containing the report and proceedings of the 
convention held in Ohi>., and containi? the names 
of those who composed that convention. I have 
extracted a table from that report, which shows the 
number of bank officers, bank directors, and bank 
stockholders, office holders, lawyers, and doctors 
merchanl.s. clerks, speculators, &c. It tells a poor 
story for the log ca^in and laboring interests of this 
country. I ain told I)y members here that this toble 
Will serve to illustr-Ue the chara-.ier of other State 
conventions, as well as the cotn position of th • Har- 
risburgh convention. But here ii the table • r'-nd 
for yourself Here are the names, facts, and fi','- 
iires. They expose the miserabl > attempt to palm 
General Harrison upon the people as " tke lop- cabin 
and the poor man's candidate:' Shame ! where is 
liy blus'i ? Trutli and candor, where are thy ad- 



voc ites *? Justice and^honor, have y.; been dethroned! 
and have moral depravity and debased political 
ambition, resumed your seats ? But here is the ta- 
ble; 



Counties. 



Ashtabula, 

Adams, 

Butler, 

Brown, 

Belmont, 

Crawford, 

Clermont, 

Carroll, 

Champaign. 

Cuyahoga, 

Dark, 

Franklin, 

Fayette, 

Fairfield,* 

Geauga, 

Greene, 

Harrison, 

Huron, 

Highland, 

Jackson, 

Jefferson, 

Logan, 

Lorain, 

Licking, 

Lucas, 

Morgan, 

Mercer, 

Madison, 

Muskingum, 

Miami, 

Preble, 

Portage, 

Pike, 

Pickaway, 

Ross, 

Stark, 

Sandusky, 

Scioto, 

Warren, 

Wayne, 

Washington, 



- o 



14 

7 
3 
I 

12 
23 

170 

8 

8 
33 

7 
14 

2 

4 



11 



46 

41 

6 

2 
II 

49 
21 

8 

10 

9 
19 






2 

7 

10 

6 

(i 

3 

2 

44 

41 

31 

83 

13 

21 

7 

15 

7 

22 

17 

8 

22 
30 
15 
II 

10 
19 
29 
G7 

7 
17 

5 

7 
32 
15 

8 

3 
23 
25 
10 
28 






- ft 

a, 

1 

3 
12 

5 



11 

27 
8 

30 
7 

2 

18 

10 

5 

18 



8 
6 

17 
5 
5 
3 

14 

2G 
4 

16 
3 
3 

25 

19 
3 
3 
7 

19 
7 
4 



I? 
15 



6 

22 
1 



17 
54 

18 

260 

9 

2 
47 

7 
31 
39 

3 
10 

74 

5 
13 

5 
14 
78 
13 
19 

5 
23 
61 
84 
24 
II 
42 
10 

9 
27 



Totals, 542 733 346 iai8 

Just look, sir! five hundred and forty-two bank 
officers, directors, &c. seven hundred and thirty- 
three office holders, three hundred and forty-SL^ 
lawyers and doctors, and one thousand and forty- 
eight merchants, clerks, and speculators, in one 
State convention, in all twenty-six hundred and 
sixty-nine, representing the interests of the poor 
man ! and the laboring community, and presenting 
General Harrison as the log cabin candidate I Sir, 
if I c^uld speak to every laborer in this land, I 
would say to him, "beiro.rc of wolves in sheep's 
cloUiia^:' These men will caress and flatter you 
until your suffrage is cast, and then they will order 

* Unable to obtain full returns from Fairfield — the office 

holders alone. 



10 



you Lo st&nd back '^liki? n poor mcK at a ^aiicc.'' I 
would say look out when merchants, lawyers, doc- 
tors, bankers, speculators, and Shylocks, assume 
the guardianship of your interests and your liber- 
ties. All the flattering caresses that the laboror or 
the poor man will receive from such a parly, will 
result from the same motive that induced the fox 
to praise the music of the crow, which was to ob- 
tain the flesh which she would let drop in the act of 
aingmg. 

I assert that the supporters of General Harrison 
are not the friends of the poor and laboring classes 
of the community, and those who live in log cabins. 
On the contrary, they are those who seek the esta- 
blishment and confirmation of a sy.stem of policy 
whose natural tendency is to make tiie '^rUk richer 
and Ike poo '' poorer " 

From such a guardianship save the Democracy, 
is my prayer. Under the guard iansliij^ of such 
men, hard cider and log cabins would be the lot of 
tlvi poor man through all time. Sir, 1 have more 
than once said that a contempt for the intelligence 
of the people is a fundamental principle with llse 
Federal party. 1 hold in my hand two communi- 
cations, which will sustain me in the assertion. I 
ask that the Clerk may read them. 

The Clerk read: 

From the Oe wcgo Palladiiuu. 
GENERAL HARRISON. 

" We call public attention to the following most extraor- 
dinary reply, made by General Harrison's i ommitteo at Cin- 
cinnati, to a letter addrcsacd to him by the Union Associa- 
tion of tills village. Wc are obliged to a mcmlier of the As- 
sociation for a copy of the letter addressed by it to Gencr&l 
Hanison, and a copy of the letter of the committee in reply 
thereto. We a.ssure the public the correspondence is genu- 
ine. 

" Oswego, Ja.Tiuary 31, 3S40. 
" To the Hon. William H Harrlson. 

" Db.^r Sis : In accordance with a resolution of tlie Union 
Association of Oswei;o, 1 am instructed to propose three 
questions to you in relation to subjects that a large portion 
of this section of the country feel a deep interest in. The 
first is — 

" .A.re you in favor cf receiving and referring petitions for 
the immediate at>clit;on of slaveiy in the District of Colum- 
bia ? 

" Secondly— Are you in favor of a United Sta'cs Bank, or 
some insutution similar to that for the ^afe keeping and dis- 
tributing of the public moneys and for giving a uniform cur- 
rency throughout the Unitod States? 

" And lastly— Would you favor the passage of a general 
bankrupt law by Con;:jress, so that its operations might t-e 
equal in all the States of the Union. 

" I have only to say, sir, that the above inquiries are ma<ie 
in accordance with the unanimous wishes of this associa- 
tion, the member.-? of which, I am instructed to sny, enter- 
tain 'Mc lughest regard for your past services, and iiope, 
should you be elected to the high office to wliicli you are no- 
minated, that notiiing may occur to lessen you in the estima- 
tion <>t a great and frue people. 

" I am. r'r. lOjrcctfuHy.yoirr obedient servant. 
" IMILES HOTCHKISS, 
" Corresponding Secretary."' 

" Cincinnati, Feb. 29, 1840. 
" OjSWEgo Un:on AssoaiATJOW : ■ 

" Gentlemen .—Your letter of the 31st ult. addressed to 
Gen. Harrison, has been placed in our possession with a view 
to early attention. This is unavoidable in consequence of 
thevery numerous letters daily received by the General, and 
to which his reply in p<^;rscn is rendered absolutely impracti- 
cable. As from his confidential committ-e, you will look 
upon this response, and if the policy observed by the com- 
initteo should not meet with your approbation, you will at- 
tribute the error rather to ourselves and his immediate ad- 
visers, than General Harrison. That policy is, that the Ge- 
neral make no furtlier declaration of his principles for the 
nublic eye whilst occupjing his present position. Such course 
bas been adopted, not for purposes of concealment, nor to 
avoidall proper responsibility ; but under the impression that 



the General's views, in regard to all the important «ftd ex- 
■ citing questions of the day, have heretofore been given to the 
public, fully and explicitly ; and that ihose views, whether 
connected with constitutional or other questions of very 
great interest, have underg )ne no change. The comjnittee 
are strengtheired in regard to the propriety of this po'iicy ; 
that no now issue be made lo the public, from the considera- 
tion that the National Convention deemed it impolitic at the 
then crisis to publish any general declaration of the views o£ 
the great Opposition paity, and cen.ainly the policy at the 
present remains unaltered. In the mean time, we cannot 
help expressing the hope that our friends everywhere will 
receive the nomination of General Harrison with something 
akin to generous confidence. When vi^e reflect upon the 
distinguished intelligence of the nominating convention— ' 
how ably all interests were represented in that body— we 
certainly have a high guarantee, that, should General Har- 
rison be the successful candidate for the Presidency, that 
office will be happily and constitutionally admimstered, and 
under the guidance cf the same prmciples whicli directed 
our Washmgton, Jefferson, and Madison. Believing you 
vv'ill concur with us in the propriety of the policy adopted, 
we have pleasure in subscribing ourselves, 
Your friends, 

DAVID GWYNNE, 
J. C. WRIGHT, 
O. M. SPENCER. 
J.]. E. Spkncee, Cor. Secretary. 

[Mr. Duncan was proceeding, when Mr. M.isox 
of Ohio inferrupted him, and asked to explain. Mr. 
D. .gave way. Mr. M. said he had seen a commu- 
nication in a Buffalo paper denying the genuine- 
ness of these communication.?, (just read,) and that 
ho (iMr. M.) felt himself at lib,3rty to pronounce the 
whole a forgery.] 

Mr. Duncan resumed, and responded that lie pre- 
sumed his colleague [Mr. Mason] knew nothing 
about the matter; and that he (Mr. D.) iblt himself 
at liberty to pronounce it no forgery, and that the 
whole correspondence iS genuine and precisely as re- 
presented onthepaper which was just rend ; and this 
he was authorized to say, not only from the pre- 
sumption contained on the face of the paper itself, 
but from other information upon which he could 
r'ily. Sir, it is genuine; and what are the impres- 
sions this correspondence must make on the mind 
of every man who may read them 1 They are two- 
fold. First, they convey the idea mo.st forcibly, 
that, owing to physical and mental imb:'.cility, the 
party have been compelled to assign political keep- 
ers to Genera! Harrison, and the necessity of 
this measure, with those unacquacted with Gen- 
eral Harrison, v/ill be forced upon the mind, 
when it is known that he is now in or nei»r the 
seventieth year of his age; a period of life when 
tb;; 'heart beats slow, the blood flows slusgis'^ly. the 
linibs become palsied, the watery eye grows dim, 
the voice trembles, the miiscles wither, the "pan- 
ta!iX)n becomes slippery," the memory takes wing, 
tbeompire of judgment totters, and the mind sinks 
in human frailty. 

The appointment of the committee must give rise 
to a supposed necessity, and that necessity will find 
its reason in the natural frailties of three score and 
ten. It is not for me to rescue or relieve General 
Harrison from the difficulties and imputation with 
which his friends embarrass him. It is for his 
friends to explain away these imputations. But, se- 
cond : the answer of the committee will not fail to 
make the impression, either that General Harrison 
ref|uircs political conscience-Keepers — because with 
iiim tlie Federal principles of these times would not 
be safe— or that he and his party have no princi- 
ples — or that their principles are so obnoxious to 
pvtblie sentjntent, that it is dangerous to disclose 



11 



tliem. I think the latter proposition is the fact. I 
have looked in vain for u demonstration of modern 
Whig principles from their conventions, I can see 
none. There have been none; nor will there be 
any. The object of acommittee is to put their prin- 
ciples under a bi.shel. Such is the secret mandate 
of the Slate Convention wire- workers — such is the 
secret mandiitc of the wire-workers of th'3 National 
Harrisburg Convoniion ; and the lips of all subor- 
dinate commiitics are sealed. The above commit- 
tee informs us, in so many words, that it is not tlu 
policy of General Harrison or his friends to make 
any exposition of political faith or principle until 
after the election. Like the subjects of benighted 
ignorance of the world, it is enough that the priests 
know the will of God and the mysteries of his holy 
word. What a miserable cause it is that shuns the 
light ; and how unpardonably ignorant thei)olitical 
leaders of ;\ parly must be of the intellia;ence of the 
nineteenth century — of the iniclligenceof this people, 
who think ihey can lead the. freemen of this Gov- 
ernment, blindfolded, tothe subversion of theirown 
principles, and the overthrow of their cherished in- 
stitutions. And how basely corrupt must be the 
party who sneak and skulk from an open, candid, 
and manly exposition of their political prii.ciples. 
Sir, I say unhesitatingly that this cor respon -ling 
Committee has been appointed for the purposes of 
concealment and delusion. I unhesitatingly a-sert 
that this concealment of principle arises from the fact 
hat the Fedetralists dare not publicly disclose their 
principles to the American people. Concealment of 
principle, and false glare of military tinsel, are to be 
the means by whii-htlie people are to hi gulled into 
the support of Federal men for office, and the estab- 
lishment of Federal meau.5ures. But, sir. the effort 
will be about as fruitless as the coffin handbill mode 
of electioneering. 

In relation to the conscience-keeping committee, 
I must say sometliinic. Of David Gwynne, I know 
nothing personally ; lam unacquainted with him. 
I presume ho is a clever fello.v, and a respectable 
citizen, as all my con tituents are. I take it for 
granted that he is opposed to the Administration 
and the Democratic party and principle, but not 
the less respectable for that. But of J. C. "Wright 
and O. M. Spencer, I know sometliing. I know 
them to be attorneys at law of high st.Tnding. I 
know them, as private citizens, to be of the most 
respectable order, and I will take thi.s occasion to 
invite all who hear me, and all who mny read me, 
to call on J. C. Wright and O. M. Spencer, should 
they have any business in the way of thi'tr prof.'s- 
sion. No two men in the State in whicli they 
live, will discharge ihcir duty with mor-^ fidelity or 
more ability. But I know another thing. The 
Democracy will find thernselves vetoed ifth?y make 
these gentlemen the conservatives of their political 
rights. The log cabin, and its wool hat inmates, 
will find themselves in the vicative, if their political 
rights are thrown upon the care and protection of 
these gentlemen. A Persian frog could not swim 
in all the hard cider they ever drank. Thess gen- 
tlemen may have seen a log cabin in their travels ; 
so they may have seen a plough, but I doubt if 
either of th'-m knows to wh'ch end of it a pair of 
horses should be hitch d, or from which side of the 
land the furrow should be thrown. 

These gentlemen are not Democrats. J. C. 
Wright will feel secretly flattered when *he learns 



that I pronounce him a high-toned Federah.st, from 
the first foundation of the world ; and if his col- 
leagtie is not of quite so blue a steep, it is because 
he has not been in the dye so long. Knowing, as 
I do, it was intended by the Federalists that the 
Democracy were to be guUod by this confidential 
conscience-keeping committi»e trick, I think it was 
a manifestation of diplomatic stupidity, that I have 
never seen excelled in politieal manreuvreing. It 
was cassiowary stupidity. I think it is the cassio- 
wary bird, that rcits the security of its body in the 
concealment of its head. The politics of" this corn- 
mittee are too well known. If Gr-nfral Jp.ckson,i» 
his proudest and most popular days, wen; to hare 
put himself in the keeping of these men, U would 
have blown him sky high with th-> Democracy, far 
and wide as t/ieii are known. If the. friend.H of 
General Harrison had constituted 

UNCLK JAKE FELTER, 
OLD STEPHEN WOOD, and 
JIM GOODLOE, 
the Committee of Conscience Keepers fo General 
Harrison, the Democra-y w mid have understood 
soniethingof the pvincipl.-s and rules of a-tion; but 
as it is, they will stand off. Sir, before 1 attempt to 
expose'an extraordinary display of Federal incon- 
sis'tencv, I will ask your attention, while I expose 
an ordinary one. Tlie Federal Whig national 
ticket is — 

Fnr Presidf.nt of the United S'ntdf, 
-\VM. H.'i^NR.Y HARRISON, of Ohio 
For F'C? Picnidenf; 
JOHN TYLER, of Vir^-inia. 
Now, sir, I pronounce .Tohn Tvler a slavo- 
hnlder. and violently opposed to mod:!rn AlwUtion- 
ism, in all its forms. If.! huve done him injustice, 
I hope some one of hii "Virunnia frie.iidii here will 
contradict me, and I will retract. None to contra- 
dict mc? Th->n I am right. 

How doss Gen. Harrison sta-id on the question 
of Abolition 1 As 1 cannot answer you thnt ques- 
tion, and as Gjn. Harri-son will not answer, and as 
his eonsoience-keevipg committee are prevented by 
rule and the precedent of the convention, I wdl ask 
to r'>ad an extract from a letter, which will give us 
some light on the subject. 
Here is the letter : 

"TO THE PUBLIC. 
" Fellow ^Citizens— Being call d suddenly home to at- 
tend my sick family, I have but a mojTient to answer a tew 
of the calumnies which are in circulation rnncernin- me. 

" I am accused of being friendly to slavery. From my 
earliest youth to the present m iment, I h'.vc boon 'he^- 
dent frie'nd of human liberty. At the ase of et^'h'oen I BK- 
C\MK A MEMBER OF AN ABOLITION Si»i:lErY, es- 
tabU.shod at Richmond ; the object of v^hicli was to am<-'l'C>- 
rate the condition of slaves, and procure their freedom oy 
every lesal means. Mv venerable friend, Jud'^re Galen, of 
Clermont county, was also a member of his society, and 
has lately given me a certificate that I was one. Tho obli 
cations wliich I then came under, I have ' faithfully per- 

*'''™'='^' ., WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON." 

So much for the letter. Now for a s nail senti- 
ment, which is a part of a speech delivered by Gen. 
Harrison on a public occasion. Hera it is : 

" Should I be asked if there is no way by which the Goiv- 
end Government can aid the cause of emancipation, I an- 
swer, that it has Ion? been an object near my heart, to see 
the whole of its suTplus revenue appropriated to that object. 
This is the sentiment. It is a small sentiment, 
but big with meaning; and the very attenupt to 
carry it into practical operation would drench yovir 
streets in blood, lay waste in wreck and ruin this 



12 



laud, and sink this Union. Still, sir, I cannot say 
that Gen. Harrison is an Abolitionist. He may 
have qualifisd thess sentiments so as to make them 
unexceptionable, but this is for him, or his politi- 
cal conscience-keepers, to show. Bat, sir, what I 
want to call your attention to, is the truth of an as- 
sertion I once made on this floor, whicli was, that 
all the contending Federal factions of this Union 
will be drummed up and drilled, ranked and sized, 
faced to the right, and marched to the polls, to cast 
their suffrage in support of the Federal Wliig Na- 
* tional Harrisburg convention ticket. General Har- 
rison will be sustained. Abolitionist or no Aboli- 
tionist, by all the abolitionists, as well as by the 
Federal North and South anti- Abolitionists. John 
Tyler, a slave holder and a slave owner, will re- 
ceive the entire Abolition and Federal Whig vote 
North and South. 

It will be remembered that, in 1832, Henry Clay 
was a caedidatefor the Presidency on the Federal 
side. I believe, and such was universally the be- 
lief, that he was a Mason of the highest order ; and 
that he stood upon the tip-top round of the masonic 
ladder. This will not be denied. 

Darius Lyman, who was an Anti-mason, was 
taken up and presented to the people of Ohio as a 
candidate for the gubernational chair, by an Anti- 
masonic convention. This was at a time when 
that miserable and contemptible demagogical hob- 
by, Anti-masonry, was at its zenith. Anti-ma- 
sons then were as the Abolitionists are now — anti- 
Democrats ; but, strange to .say, the Federal Ma- 
sons to a man sustained Mr. Lyman for Governor. 
and in turn, and by way of reciprocity, the Anti- 
masons to a man sustained Mr. Clay for the Pre- 
sidency. Such is the frailty of man when beset by 
political ambition and the love of power ; the so- 
lemnity of an oath, peace of conscience, and the 
sacred ties of religion, are alike their victims of 
sacrifice. And I now predict, with more confi- 
dence than Daniel predicted the destruction of Ba- 
b3/^!on, that all the factions opposed to the cause 
of Democracy, all the princes of factions, the 
governors and captains, the judges, the counsel- 
lors, the treasurers, aixl the sheriifs of factions, 
will be gathered together at Ura to worship Nebu- 
chadnezzar's golden image, and the Jew will de- 
sert his God and the religion of Israel, and the 
Pagan will desert his idol, and abandon the sacred 
Boyateries of his temple, and will fail pro.strate be- 
fore the image at the sound of the cornet, flute, 
Iharp, sackbut, psahry, dulcimer, timbrel, jews' 
karp, banjo, and tambarine. Yes, sir, at the nod 
of Federalism, all other isms must fall prostrate. 
But it will not do. Babylon must sink in wick- 
edness, pollution, and idolatry. In the night of 
feasting and debauchery, the Cyrus of Democracy 
will destroy it. 

Yes, sir. Abolition Whiggery of the North will 
be Whig Abolition of the South, both full blooded 
twins of blue light Federalism, whether in the 
Korth or in the South; and the man must be a 
wilful liar or a stupid fool, who will attempt to af- 
fix either to the support of this Administration, or 
identify either of them with the Democratic party 
or tlie Democratic principles. In support of what 
I say, permit me to read two small extracts from 
ihe. Philanthropist of March 3lst, 1840. The Phi- 
laDthropist is a leading, and one of the most tho- 



roughgoing Abolition papers of the day. But here 
are the extracts. I read from a long article headed 
" The present Administration." 

" The present Administration, it is generally conceded, is 
essentially Southern in its principles and policy ; it is distin- 
guished by its devotion to the foreign and domestic Interests 
of shivery, perhaps more than by any other feature. The 
protection of slave labor seems to be its controlling principle. 
True the freemen of the North and West number more than 
twice as many as those of the South, but they are supposed to 
have no pecuiiiari' interests, or the protection of free labor is a 
minor consideration. The aristocrats of the South give law 
to the Goverumeiiit, and Mr. Van Buren is their vassal Exec- 
utive. 

"Another v!e;v of the subject wo would present. Should 
the Van Burc-.i piirty, after hriving rested its hopes of success 
to a great extent on its anti-Abolition warfare be defeated, it 
would be the best thiui: that could happen for them as well as 
the free .Stutes. from that moment the party would find it 
convenient to cut loose from the South. The conviction would 
arise that it had been leaning on a broken reed, and that there 
was a power at home whicli it was of more consequence to 
conciliate than the slaveholding interests. It is the vocation 
of Abolitionists to emancipate parties from thraldom to this 
interest. This they can do by creating such a mass of anti- 
siavery sentiment in the free States, and so directing it that 
it shall at once crush the politician who may venture iu a 
single particular to pander to the w isl:es of the slavehol- 
der." 

Comment on these extracts is unnecessary; but I 
cannot leave them without notice. 

So far as the Administration and the Democracy 
of the free States are charged with undue Southern 
influence and vassallage, it is a recklf^ss falsehood 
and a broad slander, worthy of a demagogue and a 
LIAR steeped in moral depravity and political 
corruption. 

The Administration and the Demoeracy of the 
North areas much devoted to the cause of philan- 
thropy, universal emancipation, and the happiness 
of the human family, as the modern Abolition 
Whig parly. But the Administration and the De- 
mocracy of the free States are devoted, too, to the 
perpetuity of this Union, the pence and order of so- 
ciety, the preservation of tlie Constitution, and the 
maintenance of the sovereignty''and independence 
of the States, and the peaceful enjoymeiU of their 
domestic institutions, which were guarantied to 
them at the formation of the Federal Government 
and the guarantee of which security constituted a 
principal condition upon which the Federal Union 
was formed. 

Sir, we have had some fine disquisitions in the 
President-making speeches here, on the transcen- 
dent military services of the Federal candidate for 
the Presidency. 

It is not my purpose, for one moment, to throw 
the slightest shade over any fame that General 
Harrison may have acquired in the last war; but 
it must astound every national and consistent man 
in the Union, thnt the Federal Whigs should select 
a military man as a candidate for the Presidency. 
Sir, indulge me a short lime, while 1 sliow some of 
the inconsistency of this self-styled consistent and 
decency party. 

What did the Federal party say of the last war, 
and of military meni Hear them. I read from 
the Olive Branch : 

" Let no man, who wishes to continue the war by active 
means, by vote or lending money, hare to prostrate himself 
at the altar on (he fa^t day for they are actually as much par- 
takers in the war as tlie soldier who thrusts the bayonet and 
the judgment of God Kill await them. 

" will Federalists subscribe to the loan (Government loan;) 
will they lend money to our national rulers ? It is impossi- 
ble," &c. 



13 



" Any Federalists who lends mouey to the Goveinment, 
must go and shake bauds with Jnraes Madison, nnd claim fcl- 
lowabip with Felix Grundy. Let him no mom call himself a 
Federalist and friend to his country. He will bo called by 
others infamous '.'.'." 

" It is very grateful to <iud that the universal sentiment ie, 
that any man who lends his money to the Government at the 
present time, ivill forfeit all claim to common honesty and 
common courtesy among all true friends to the country." — 
Beaton Oazeltc. 

" We have only room this evening to say that wo trut~t no 
true friend to his country will be found among the subscribers 
to the Gallatin loan." — N. Y. Evening Post. 

" No peace will ever be made till the people say there shall 
be no war. If the rich now continue to furnish money war 
will continue (ill the mountains are wetted with blood till 
every 6eld in America is white with the bones of the people." 
— Zhsc-ottrse by Elijah Parrisk. D. />. 

Sir, I could read an hour from this follectii)n o^ 
Federal sayings and doctrines, but 1 will not detain 
the committee; but, be it remembered, tliat at the 
time of these denunciations, the clouds of war hung 
the heaviest, the work of plunder, burnin;^, and death 
beset our whole seaboard, and our frontier was ex- 
posed to the savage rifle, the .scalping knife and to- 
mahawk, and the torch of the Indian — tlie govern- 
ment was oppressed and borne down witWpecuniary 
embarrassments — every institution of the Govern- 
ment was sinking, and every prospect withering, 
from the same cause, but what do we find now sirl 
The same Federal parly sustair.ing a military man 
for the first office in their gift ; for the Preidency of 
the United Slates; and predicating his claims upon 
his military services in ihat very war which they so 
violently denounced, and upon which they invoked, 
from the sacred altar, the vengeance of God. But 
that was a long time ago. Well what did the Fed- 
er«list3 say in 18J4, when the democracy sustained 
Gen Jackson for the Presidency I Why sir, it will 
be remembered by every person who hears me, that 
every political journal in the country teemed with 
the most solemn admonitions against placing the 
Goverument in the hands of a military chieftain, 
and even referred to the subversion and downfall 
of eveiy Republic which had gone before us by 
military despotism. Such warnings were in the 
mouth of every Federalist in the land at that time, 
and were brought to bear against the election of 
Genersl Jackson, witli all the force they could be 
urged through every possible medium. 

Hear Mr. Clay, in his address to the people of 
the Gongressioiial district composed of the counties 
of Fayette, Woodford, and Clark, in Kentucky : 

" In hid [General Jackson's] election to this office, 
too, I ihougtit I perceived the estabiiihment of a fear- 
ful precedent, and I am mistaken in all the warn- 
ings of instructive history, if I erred in my judg- 
ment. Undoubtedly there are other and many dan- 
gers to public liberty, besides that which proceeds 
from military idolatry ; but I have yet to acquire 
the knowledge of ii, if there he one more perilous or 
more frequent." — Nat. Intell. March 31, 1825. 

To this, all the Federalists said, amen. 

But here is more. Mr. Clay, in his letter to 
Judge Brooke, dated Waalungton, Jan. 28, 1825, 
says : 

" As a friend of liberty, and to the permanence of 
our institutions, I cannot consent, in this early stage 
of their exisience, by contributing to the election of 
a miiiiarv chieftain, to give the strongest gwarantee 
that this Republic will march in the fatal road which 



has conducted ever»' other Republic to ruin." — 
Nat. Intell. Feb. 12,' 1825. 

This was strong language, and fearful and solemn 
admonition. It was thought, however, by some, 
that this warning was urged with more outward than 
inward zeal, to secure him against the indignation 
of the Republican party and the suspicions of th» 
Federal party, in his somerset from the former to the 
latter. But he continued hie warnings in deep sighe 
of prophecy and Jeremiah lamentations. Hear whal 
he says in 1829, at a public dinner : 

" I deprecate it (Gen. Jackson's election) still 
more because his elevation I believed would be the 
result, exclusively, of admiration and gratitude for 
military service, without regard to indispensable 
civil qualifications. I can neither retract or modi- 
fy or alter any opinion which on these subjects I have 
at any time heretofore expressed. 

" I beheld in his election an awful foreboding of 
the fate which al a^nne future day (I pray God that 
if it ever arrive, it may be some far distant day) 
was to befal this infant Republic. All past history 
had impressed on his mind this soieirui apprehcnsioc. 
Nor is it effaced or weakened by coteniporaneoae 
events passing upon our own favored continent. .*' 

" It is remarkable that at this epoch, at the head 
of nine independent Governments, established in 
both Americas, military officers have been placed, 
or placed themselves. Gen. Loyalla has by mili- 
tary force subverted the Repulilic of La Plata • Gen, 
Santa Crus is the Chief Magistrate of Bolivia ; 
Col. Pinto of Chili ; Gen. La Mar, of Peru ; arxl 
Gen. Bolivar of Colombia ; Central America, rent 
in pieces and bleeding at every pore from wounds 
inflicted by contending military factions, is under the 
alternate sway of their chiefs. 

" In the Government of our nearest neighbor, an 
election conducted according to all the requirementis 
of their Constitution bad terminated with a majority 
of the States in favor of Pedeza, the civil candidate. 
An insurrection was raised in behalf of his military 
rival. The crv, not exactly of bargain, but of cor- 
ruption, was sou'ided ; the election was annulled, 
and a reform effected, by proclaiming Gen. Guer- 
rero, having only a minority of the States, duly 
elected President. 

" The thunders from the surrounding forts, and 
the acclamation* from the assembled multitudes, on 
the fourth, (March,) told us what General was at the 
head of our affairs." — Nat Intelligencer, March 9, 
1829. 

I have one more extract to read, which is perti- 
nent ; and I hope it will be remembered by all who 
hear me, and all who may read me, while I am read- 
ing extracts from Mr. Clay's speeches, that I am 
not reading the sentiments of a single individ'ial, 
but the sentiments of the whole Federal tribe, as 
expres.»ed through every Federal sheet in the land, 
by every Federal orator, and every Federal bab- 
bling, noisy politician, from the largest to the small- 
est, and in some instances from the pulpit and sa- 
cred desk. 

Now for the last extract : 

'•In 1838, not two years since, Mr. Clay said in 
the United Slates Senate, he (Mr. C.)had also been 
charged as having left his country and her councila 
with execiatiori", going home with restlessness &nd 



Hi 



14 



disgust, and as returning back to annoy the country. 
What was the ground of this charge"! Mr. C. had 
returned under urgent necessities — his office had 
been unsolicited, and he had resolved to do his duty 
in these struggles and these times, and he had de- 
nounced a military aspirant, and had denounced him 
in language which he was proud to have used, when 
be had exclaimed, ' send us war, pestilence, and 
famine, rather than curse us with military rule ;' and 
if he could then have foreseen that this execrable 
measure (the Sub-Treasury bill) would have been 
introduced by the influence which he then depre- 
cated, he would then have denounced it as he did 
now, as not at ail preferable to war, pestilence and 
famine, and as not inferior to any one of them in its 
malign effects on the welfare and prosperity of the 
country." — Reported m the Nat. Intcll. June 25th, 
1838. 

What a man this Mr. Clav is I From 1825 up 
io 1838, his solemn admonitions to man, and hid 
sincere pravers to God, wore, that our country had 
better be blighted and withered in famine, desolated 
with pestilence, and drenched in blood, than that a 
military man (General Jackson) should bo President, 
and in 1838 said, virtually, that rather than this Gov- 
ernment should collect, keep safe, and disburse its 
own revenue, in the management of its own fiscal 
operations, or rather than the banks should cease to 
rule the Government, the country and the people, he 
preferred that the country should be desolated with 
war, pestilence, or famine. Is this the raving of mad- 
neas, orthe madness of raving"! 

Mr. Chairman, if you can find, in the whole histo- 
ry of human depravity, sentiments involving, in the 
abstract, more theoretical wickedness, reckless am- 
bition, and moral debasement, than these sentiments 
do, you will have to read that history over once 
more than 1 have But base as they were, benighted 
in wickedness as the brain must have been that con- 
ceived them, corrupt as the heart was that cherished 
them, and poisoned as the tongue and lips were that 
gave them birth, the whole Federal pack yelped 
Amen to them. But what do you think now, sirl 
In the face of all these solemn warnings and impres- 
sive admonitions, and in the face of all these ap- 
peals to heaven to visit this land with all the other 
combined calamitieii, either of the anger of God or 
the folly of man, rather than this people should be 
ruled executively by a military man, that same Fed- 
eral party, with that same Henry Clay at their head 
are now moving heaven and earth to place the Ex- 
ecutive Government in the hands of a military 
man .'.' Monstrous ! and that, loo, on the open and 
professed ground of transcendent military services ! 
for no other claims or pretensions are urged. I will 
leave comment on such conduct to those who may 
read me, with these sim[)le inquiries. At the time 
of which I am speaking, were you sincere when you 
were warning the Democracy, in long groans, deep 
sighs, and with tears in vour eyes, of the fatal conse- 
quences that would result from placing the E.xecutive 
Departmenlof this Government in the hands of a 
military captain"! If you were sincere, you are now, 
practising a base fraud upon the American people, 
and voluntarily and wilfully endangering the civil 
and political institutions of your country by attempt- 



ing to give a military captain the control of the Gov- 
ernment. 

But if you are now sincere in pushing the claims 
of Gen. Harrison, on the ground of gratitude for his 
military services, and you believe the Government 
will be safe in the hands of a military chieftain, you 
were then practising a base fraud upon the American 
people, and your whole eflort to prevent the election 
of Gen. Jackson was the result of deception, fraud, 
and demagogism. How will you reconcile your con, 
flicting conduct with an intelligent, honest, patriotic- 
and candid people ! Will you attempt an explana- 
tion of your conduct, or will you rest your demagog- 
isms, as you always have done, on what you believe 
to bo the thoughtless stupidity and ignorance of what 
you call the " common people V 

But I will proceed to examine what the military- 
claims of Gen. Harrison are ; and let me remind 
you that it is not my purpose to throw the slightest 
shade over the military reputation of Gen. Hanison, 
or pluck a leaf from the wreath which his successes 
in the field may have secured to him. But when 
Gen. Harrison's military services are presented as 
claims upon the suffrages of the American people, 
for the highest civil office in their gift, it becomes the 
right and the duty of every citizen to examine and 
inquire into the character, quality, and extent of those 
wervice-s now set up as a claim. It is now in the 
Federal sheets, and by the party orators, proclaimed 
with emphasis, and published in capitals, that Gen. 
Harrison's military career and military services never 
were assailed until after he was presented as a 
candidate for President. Well, sir, this is very cred- 
itable to him, and a proud boast for him and his par- 
ty, if true ; but how frail are all human caiculations 
and boasts ! Just indulge me while I blow up this 
political air castle ; this paper baloon, inflated with 
wordy gas, on which General Harrison is to ride to 
the Presidency. 

Here, sir. is an extract from the jouraals of the 
.Senate of the United States, as repotted in Niles' 
Register : 

"The Senate resumed the consideration of the 
joint resolution directing medals to be struck, and, 
together with the thanks of Congress, presented to 
Major General Harrison and Governor Shelby, and 
for other purposes. After some di.^cussion, Mr. 
Lacock moved to amend the resolution by striking 
therefrom Major General Harrison. The motion 
was determined in the affirmative, by the following 
vote : 

"Yeas — Messrs Gillard, Gore, Hunter, King, 
Lacock, Masor7, Roberts, Thompson, Jackson, Tait, 
Turner and Varnum— 12. 

"Nays — Messrs. Barber, Barry, Gondii, Horsey, 
Mason, Morrow, Ruggles, Talbot, Wells, and Wil- 
liams— lO." 

Whether the Senate was right or wrong in this 
signal, lasting and withering rebuke of General Har- 
rison, it does not affect the windy boast that " Gen. 
Harrison's mil'tarv character never was assailed un- 
til he was presented as a candidate for President." 
It will be seen that this vole of the Senate was had 
in the former part of 1816, just at the close of the 
war, when the services of the brave were fresh in 
the grateful recollection of every friend to his coun- 
try. The description of successful battles dwell in 



Oi 



15 



•delight upon the lips of every patriot, and the aongi 
in praise of those who distinguished themselves 
were echoed from hill to hill, and from mountain to 
mountain, from one end of the continent to the 
Other. It will be remembered, too, that no individ- 
ual or association of individuals could be supposed 
to be better acquainted with the m'\\itavy character 
and merits of those who served in the last war, than 
were the Senators of the United States. The Sen- 
ate is the highest, most responsible and most hon- 
orable tribunal in the American Government. Its 
members are composed of those who are selected 
for their wisdom, their integrity, and their patriot- 
ism. It is the province and the duty of the U. States 
Senate to award honor and thinks to whom honor and 
thanks arc duo, but this was the honor and thanks 
which wore meted to General Harrison, at a time 
when the sheet of the war history had hardJv dried, 
and when the echo of the song of praise had not 
died on the distant iiills. 1 believe the Senate done 
wrong in withholding the vote of thanks, and the 
medal proposed in the resolution, and so the Sen- 
-ate subsequently thought ; for a vote of thanks and 
the medal were awarded. " But deny me honor, 
rather ihan praise me faintly." Such was the praise 
tke Senate bestowed on Gen. Harrison. 

So much for the Senate journal. I will now ask 
the Clerk to read the public let,ter of Joseph Dun- 
can, ex-governor of Illinois; a staunch modern Whig, 
and a violent opposer of the present administration. 
I like to convince the Whigs with evidence from 
their own mouths ; but here is the letter. 

The Clerk re^.d : 

Letter of Gen. Duncan, Governor of Biuiois. 
"Washington City, March 25, 1836. 

"Dbar SiE : — Your letter of the 20ih has been 
received, and I most cheerfully comply with your 
request, in giving such an account of the transactions 
at Sandusky, as my men-ory, at this period, and 
my time, will enable me to do. 

"About the 20ih of July, 1813, Gen. Harrison, 
then at Lower Sandusky, hearintr that the British 
army had crossed Lake Erie to Fort Meigs, being 
about five thousand strong, immcdiaiely changed his 
head quarters to Seneca, seven or eight miles up the 
Sandusky river, where he assembled his forces, then 
on the march fiom the interior, leaving Major 
Croghan, with about 150 men, to defend Fort 
Stephenson, with an understanding at the time, that 
the fort, then in a weak and wretched condition, was 
to be abandoned, should the enemy advance v\iih 
artillery, but if not, to be defended to the last 
extremity. 

"Harrison, with his force, then small, had scarcely 
left us, before Croghan commenced putting the fort 
(which was only a stuckading of small round logs, 
and a few log store house.i) in a proper state of 
defence, in which he evinced the most admirable 
judgment and the most untiring perseverance. 

"During the last ten or twelve days that intervened 
between the lime that Gen. Harrison left us and the 
appearance of the enemy, a ditch was dug, four feet 
deep, and six feet wide, entirely round the fort, out- 
gido (»f the stockading, the ground for 200 yards 
round the fort was cleared of timber and brush, and 
many other preparations made for the enemy. 

"About this time Gen. Harrison received informa- 



tion that the e«an«y had raised the seige at Fort 
Meigs, and had started in the direction of Sandusky 
and Camp Seneca. On receiving this intelligence 
he determined to retreat from his position, and 
immediately uent an express to Fort Stephenson, 
which arrived about sunrise, ordering Maj Croghan 
to burn the fort, with all the munitions and store*, 
and rclrcal without delay to head-quarters, giving, 
also, some piecautionary instructions about the 
route, &c. 

"On receiving this order, Croghan instantly placed 
it in the handd of the officers, who were all present, 
and required them to consider it and express an 
opinion of the propriety of obeying or disobeying it. 
The board was formed, ai)d on putting the question, 
beginning, as usual, with the youngest officer, it was 
ascertained that the majority of us ip ere for disobey- 
ing the order. Croghan returned to the room, and 
being informed of our directions, said, "/ am glad of 

it; I HAR RESOLVED TO DISOBEY AT ALL HAZARDS," 

and immediately despatched an e.xpress to General 
Harrison, giving him that information. Immediately 
on the arrival of this express, Gen. Harrison despatch- 
ed Lt. Col. Ball, with his squadron of dragoons, 
with orders to arrest Croghan, and bring him to 
head-quarters, (which was done,) and sent another 
officer to lake command. By this time, in conse- 
quence of his not arriving agreeably to his expecta- 
tions and orders, the General abandoned all idea of 
a retreat, although his munitions and stores were 
piled up ready to be set on fire as soon as Croghan 
should reach Seneca; and ?< is 7wi to be doubted 
that if (/roghan had arrived according to orders 
O" General Harrison would have retreated instantly, 
leaving the whole frontier, our fleet at Erie, and 
the store at Cleveland — the destruction of which 
was the object of the invasion and movements down 
the lake — al the mercy of the enemy ! 

" After being detained one night, Croghan return- 
ed to Sandusky, and was reinstated in his command; 
an occasion which gave an indescribable joy to the 
officers and soldiers in the fort, and which only 
could be equalled, in iniensity of feeling, by the cha- 
grin and mortification fell at his arrest. Especially 
was the ovci t pleasing to those officers who had sus- 
tained him in disobeying the order, resolved as they 
were, when he was arrested, to share his fate, be it 
good or evil. 

" Soon after hia return, the enemy, so long ex- 
pf cted, made his appearance, and demanded a 'sur- 
render. Croiran answered, bv directing Ensign 
Shipp to assure General Proctor that it would be 
blown to first. 

" I need hardly say, after what has been related, 
that their appearance, relieving us from our long 
suspense, was hailed with seeming joy by ihe Major, 
and most, if not hII, of his command. 

"The exciienicnt produced by what had occur- 
red, and his re' urn just in time to meet the enemy, 
inspired his command with an enthusiasm rarely, if 
ever, surpassed, and which alone renders man invin- 
cible. 

" The fort was forthwith besieged, cannonaded, 
and bombarded, from the gunboats, and the batteries 
on land, for nearl/ four hours, without cessation ; 
during all which time, every officer and soldier ap- 



16 



pcared to be animated by the cool and iDanly bear- 
ing of the com'nander. 

" I well remember his expression at the first sound 
of the bugle, given by the enemy as the sigaal for 
the charging upon ihe works. We were silting to- 
gether ; he sprung upon his feet saying, 'Duncan, 
every man to his post, for in twenty minutes they 
will attempt to take us by storm. Recollect, when 
you hear my voice crying relief, come to me with 
all the men that can be spared from your part of the 
iine." He instantly passed up the line, repeating 
to every officer, and had scarcely got the men in 
place before the whole British army, divided into 
three columns, marched upon the fort, and made a 
desperate assault, continuing it for near an hour, 
when they were repuUed with a loss of killed and 
wounded, estimated at that time to be near double 
tbe number in the fort, and is stated by English wri- 
ters to be about ninety.^ 

" During the engagement I saw Croghan often, 
and witnessed with delight his intrepid and gallant 
conduct, which, I firmly believe, never has been 
surpassed at any time, on any occasion. 

" In the heat of the action, I frequently heard him 
ezclaim, 'huzza, my brave fellows, we are hewing 
them to pieces ; five minutes more and we'll blow 

them, to . Hy h n, every officer and soldier 

has immortalized himself,' &c. And throughout the 
whole affair, he evinced the greatest solicitude for 
the safety of every one but himself. 

" The sagacity displayed in arranging the cannon, 
so as to open a mask embrasure to rake the enemy 
in the ditch, at a point evidently selected by them 
for the breach — in placing the logs on pins near ihe 
top of the picket, which could be tilted off by one 
man, and from twenty to thirty feet long, of heavy 
timber, swept every thing before them — his activity 
in piling bags of sand agiinst the pickets wherever 
the enemy attempted to make a breach with their 
cannon, by which means each point of attack grew 
stronger from the moment it was assailed, are wor- 
thy of any General at any age. 

"You are right, sir, in my judgment, in saying 
that the government has not done justice to Colonel 
Croghan for his conduct in that affair, whichis with- 
out parallel in the mtlilary annals of our country. 

"As to mj self, having acted a very subordinate 
part, I never did, nor do I now, set up anv claims 
for distinction. To know that I did my duty to my 
country, though not hardened into manhood, was 
then, and is now, enough for me. But of him I feel 
BO hesitancy in saying, injustice has been done to 
him in being overlooked by the government, and the 
erroneous statement of historians. 

" M'Affee, the historian of the late war, and Daw- 
son, the biographer of Gen. Harrison, have studious- 
ly kept out of view, that the object of the invasion 
was, the destruction of our ships under Com. Perry, 
at Presque Isle, and boats and stores at Cleveland — 
these were looked upon with solicitude by the Bri- 
tisJi — were reconnoitered — and on one or two occa- 
sions were attempted to be destroyed by landing on 
board their fleet. They have also failed to account 
for the movement of the whole British forces down 
the lake, inthe^direction of Cleveland and Erie, be- 
fore their defeat at Sandusky, which was attacked to 
satisfy their Indian allies, who demanded the scalps 



and plunder of that place. They have kept out of 
view the fact, that Gen. Harrison had determined to 
retreat to the interior, after burning all the supplies 
which he had collected ; iCT that he ordered Major 
Croghan to abandon and burn Fort Stephenson ; 
that his refusal to obey, and failure to arrive at head- 
quarters, prevented this retreat and consequent de- 
struction of our fleet, millions of public sioree, and 
exposure of five hundred miles of frontier to the 
combined enemy ! 

" Both have staled that General Harrison never 
doubted that Major Croghan would be able to re- 
pulse an enemy of near two thousand, and which 
they say he understood to be five thousand, with 
one hundred and thirty men, his effective force on 
the day of battle, one six pounder with ammunition 
for only seven shots, and abo;.t .''orty rounds for the 
small arms ; when the fact was notorious, that Gen. 
Harriion was heard to say, during ike seige, when 
the firing coald be heard in his camp, speaking of 
Croghan, " the blood be on hi* own head ; Jwash 
my hands of it /" not doubting for a moment, nor 
did any one with him, that the garrison would be 
cut ofT. 

,^ With great respect, your obedient servant. 

Joseph Duncan. 

Co!. Preston, Military Committee, Senate." 

I now submit a protestation issued from " Grand 
Camp Ohio Militia, August 29, 1834. I will ask 
the Clerk to read this protestation, and I regret its 
length will prevent its introduction in my printed 
remarks ; but its object and meaijing will be under, 
stood by the resolutions with which it concludes 
It is signed by a number of the officers, now be 
longing to both political parties. 

Tlie Clerk read as follows : 

Therefore, 

" Resohcd, That we place the most implicit con- 
fidence in his Excellency, Return J. Meigs, as com- 
mander-in-chief of the militia of this Slate, and that 
we view him as a wise and judicious Chief Magis- 
trate. 

" Resolved, That after the various requisitions 
and complicated demands from his Excellency, 
Major General Harrison, we highly approve of his 
Excellency, the Governor's, conduct on the occa- 
sion, and fully coincide with him in the propriety of 
leaving force sufficient to answer any emergency. . 

" Resolved, That we regret the backward state of 
the preparations was such as to exclude the troops 
called to the relief of Fort Meigs, as well those who 
returned as the proportion retained, from participa- 
ting in the present campaign, for which they discov- 
ered so great an anxiety. 

q q q g q q 

" it^^" Resolved, That the conduct of his Ex- 
cellency, the Commander-in-Chief, WILLIA.M H. 
HARRISON, of the North-western Army, on this 
occasion, is shrouded in mystery, and to us perfectly 
inexplicable. 

U h b U U b ■ 

^'Resolved, That the foregoing preamble and reso- 
lutions be signed by the general and field officers 
and commandants of independant corps, approving 



17 



the same in their own and in behalf of their respec- 
tive commands ; and that a copy of the proceedings 
be delivered by the Secretary to His Excellency, 
'the Gorerno'-, and a copy to the printer at Frankhii- 
lon, and each of the printers in Chillicoihe, witU a 
request that all the primers in the State would uive 
publicity to the same ; a'so that the same be signed 
by the President and attested by the Secretary. 

James Manary, 

Brigadier General, President. 
" Awest : 

Ezra Osburn, 

Brigade Quartermaster, Sec'y. 

RoBT. Lucas, Brig. Gen. 

John McDonald, Colonel. 

James Dknny, Colonel, 

Wm. Keys, Colonel. 

John Furgison, Colonel. 

Isaac Bonsbr, Cjlonel. 

James Kilgore, Major. 

John VV'm.let, Major. 

Allen Trimble, Major. 

N. Beasly, Captain Com't. 

James Wilson, Major. 

Presly Morris, Brig. Major. 

John Boggs, Major. 

Wm. Rutledge, Brig Maj. 

Richard Mocker, Capt. Com. 

Eden Fenmmore, Brig. Q. M. 

WILLIAM KEY BOND, 

Judge Advocate." 
When the name of Wm. Key Bond was pro- 
nounced, Mr. D. demanded of his colleague [Mr. 
Bond] if he was that man. 

Mr. B. answered in the affirmative, and asked to 
explain. 

Mr. D. gave way. 

Mr. B. said, in substance, that tie officers and 
troops at Grand Camp of Ohio Militia, were disap 
pointed at some of General Harrison's movements. 
They were thought slow. They considered them- 
selves neglected, and feared they were going to be 
disappoin'.ed in an opportunity to distinguish ihem- 
iielves in the campaign which they had undertaken 
in the service of their country ; and without under- 
standing the motives which governed the movement 
of the Coinmander-in-chief, /te had drawn up the 
protestation and resolutions which had just been 
read, and submitted them to the officers of the camp, 
who considered and adopted them, without a dissent- 
ing voice. He (Mr B.) had long thought the of 
ficers had done General Harrison injustice Mr. B. 
said he was young (not over twenty-one) at l!>iat 
time. Had he had the advantage of years, lie would 
have been more capable of appreciating the motives 
of General Harrison, and his course would have 
been different. He stated that he held a public 
communication over the signature of Allen Trimble, 
which he wished to read. It was read, and consisted 
of an apology similar to that which Mr. B. had made 
as above. 

Mr. D. resumed. Mr. Chairman, my 'colleague 
aaya he was younw and inexperienced when he drew 
up this protestation and resolution, and signed them. 
I will ask him if any of the other officers, whose 
names are affixed, were older than he was. 
Mr. B. answered, yes : nearly all older than him- 

2 



self — some thirty, >om« forty years of age, and per- 
haps some upward. 

Mr. D. asked Mr B. if he had ever befc re tender- 
ed to the public a recantation of his couise in thit 
matter. 

Mr. B. answered in the negative. 

Mr. D. What is the date of the communication 
signed AUtn Trimble] 

Mr. B. It IS of the (iate of January, 1840. 

Mr. D. said, these rtcantaiions have both been 
made since General Harrison was uoininaied lor 
the Presidency. Had General Harrison not been 
nominated for the Presidency, they never would 
have been made. It is now upwards of twenty- 
seven years since this spread of infamy overclouded 
General Harrison ; ar.d never, in all that lime, was 
this cloud attempted to be dispersed. Allen Trim- 
ble was the Governor of Ohio for four \ears, and 
my colleague has been a member of Congress for 
nearly six years. These names, of imposinginfluence, 
put afloat a public manifestation of the infamy and 
disgrace that has attached to General Harrison, and 
gave sanction to the sirocco breath of slander for 
twenty-seven years ; and for that time has his re- 
putation been withering under it, and. what is still 
more remarkable, my colleague and the ex-Govern- 
or have all this time been the political friends of 
General liarri.<on, and, with him, have labored at 
the Federal oai through all the surges and tem- 
pests of party strife. I say that the infamy charged 
upon General Harr son at Grand Camp Ohio Mili- 
tia, and spread to the four winds through tlie public 
newspaper sheets, has dwelt with and abided upon 
his repuiation for twenty-seven years, and if he had 
not been nominated for the Presidei/cv, this infamy, 
without recantation or explanation, would have fol- 
lowed his repstaiion to the grave, and rested upon 
his memory for all time. Gentlemen, wny did you 
not come out sooner with your recantations. I fear 
you are now too late. An inielligent community 
will charge you with injustice and ingratitude, or 
they will charge you with demagotrisin and an at- 
tempt to pracice a trick for political deception. 
Which horn of the dilemma do you prefer to hang 
upon1 

I think I have shown how miserably peurile the 
vain and empty Whig boast that " Gen. Harrison's 
military character never was assailed until he was 
a candidate for President," appears before the om- 
nipotence of truth, when it is remembered that the 
expose I have made is from Whig evidence It is 
vainly and (iompou>ly boasted, that Gen Harrison 
was in more battles during the last war than any 
commander in the service. 

This is not true. General Harrison was not in 
a battle during the last war ; and I defy his frienda 
to point out one in which he was present, and acted 
in person. What battle was he in ] Tippecanoe ? 
That was no battle ; it was a surprise by night, and 
a defeat of the American troops. Four or five hun- 
dred Indians attacked General Harrison's army, 
consisting of ten or fifteen hundred of as brave men 
as ever marched in defence of a country, in the 
night, when the General and his trocps were sleep- 
ing in supposed security, and killed and wounded 
one hundred and eighty of Kentucky and Indiana's 
choicest gons , and retired at brc-ak of day, with 



18 

perhaps the bss of forty or fifty killed and wounded, probability, would have been left to relate the 
The lacttha'. the Indians retired at day break does fatal and bloody story. So much for the " Battle 
not warruiit ihe charge of deledt u|>oii them. The of Tippecanoe," of vvhich General Harrisonis aung 
attack and rbireal lliey made was according i.o their the hero ! 

mode of wdflaie. Jn ine surprise oi rippecanoe, VVuere do we find General Harrison next 1 In the 
General Hirrison and his men (ought bravely ; and, battle of the river lldisiu 1 No : he was int in tnat 
under all tne circuiiisiaiices, so lar as the surprise battle ; bu', there were some circumstances in re- 
was concerned, did honor to the American arms and laiion to Gen. Harrison, associated with that unfor- 
to .\mericau chivalry. But let no man so fardis- tuuate batue and massacre, iha., 1 have hearJ ta.k- 
grace the memory of tlio e who fell, and the repu- ed of, which, if they existed, are not very favorable 
tation ol those rt ho smvived the battles of Mon- to the General ; but as I have i.o praclicdl knowleJoe 
mouih. Bunker Hill, Lexingioii, Trenton, and many of them, I will ajree, if his friends will do thu same, 
others ol tlie llevolutio^i, by calling that a battle to say iiothiii!/ about thf-m, and by such an agrec- 
and a victory, which was a surprise and defeat. It ment' Gen. Harrison will not be the loser. But lam 
is a perversion of terms, and if spoken in any other told Gen. Harrison was in Fort Meigs when it was 
spirit than lliat of gratitude and national pride, in or attacked ; be it so ; he was, and lO .ducted himself 
out of tuis country, will bring ridicuie and derision well, and behaved bravely ; but that was a sei^e 
I pon him who speaks it I say liiai General Har- and a defence ; it was no batile. Was General 
r son and his tioops lought bravely at tiie surprise Harrison a participator in the gal ml defence of 
of I'lppecaiioe, and I cay it in pride and gratitude ; Fort Stephenson ? No. Governor Duncan's letter 
so says a nation, in the same spirit. informs us that 'he ordered Maj. Croghan to burn 

But General Harrison has tieeii censured for per- the post, with all the munitions and siores. and re- 
mitting the enemy to select his camp ground. He trea% wiiho it dehy to headquaiters.'Oroghan refused 
has been ren»ured for permuting hnll^elf to be de- to oliey ; on the contrary, co. t nued his zealous and 
ceived by ihe Ir.enJIy preteiision> of the enemy. He patriotic efiorts to put the fort lu a prober s.ale of 
has Lieeii eensuieti lor iioi causing a breastwork to defence. The fort was attacked in the manner and 
be raised as a security against surprise. by the force, as described in the letier which you 

But above all. General Harrison nas been censured have heard read. The defence of Fort Stephenson 
for encamping his troops on a narrow piece of was one of the most brilliant affairs recorded in 
ground, so surrounded with a deep marsh as almost American hi.story ; and earned its commaider, and 
to cut off retieai incase ol surprise. Skill to avoid those who fought with him, never ladmg glory, 
ambusc d,s and dv files, and in the judicious sclec- Taat defence was the first which did true and un- 
tion ol camp gMuiids, have always been considered vanii>hed honor on the frontier to the Aine.ican arms, 
among tne best inaiks of a prudent and wise gen- It revived the hopes and lifted from despair the 
eral. whole Northwest, and was the first efft-'ctual check 

The incautious minner in which Semnronius the ha'urhty and savage foe met. Major Croghan 
permuted Hanmnal to lead him and tlie Roman and his brave officers and men have met a reward in 
troops into an ambuscade, by winch they were de- the afiectioi.s and gratitude of a nation. Be it re- 
feated, and almost all cut off at the battle of Trebia, membered that the defence of Fort Stephenson, and 
has ever been considered unwise and fatally impru- all the honor and glory that attended it, was in di- 
dent, and has given to the memory of Sempronius rect violation of the express orders of Genera! Har- 
the character ol fiery zeal, rather than useful brave- risen. If .Major Croghan is entitled to the unmea- 
ry. Many other fatal instances could be named of sured gratitude of the .American people, the song 
like imprudence. of praise to General Harrison will be weak. 

These are matters, so far as they relate to the What is the next battle in which we may look for 

battle ol Tippecanoe, I know nothing about. I was General Harrison'' The battle of the Thames • 

a boy at iht i,nie, and six or seven hundred miles Yes, he wa« there ; and of his conduct there I have 

from the sc( ne of action. I have no practical no fault to find ; nor would I name it, except in hi» 

knowledge of the matter ; nor have I the advantages praise, but for some communications now afloat, 

of the military skill, experience, and learning, of evidently started for the base, mean, and unhallow- 

the two hundred and thirty-nine members who sur- ed purpo.se of crowning Gei eral Harrison with the 

rounJ me, all of whom my colleasjue [.Mr. Corwin] Imrels which Colonel Johnson reaped in blood, on 

informs us are colonels and generals ; for I have the plains of the Thames. Degraded indeed must 

never been a fourth corporal. I mist leave the de- that party be, when the crippled veteran n U3t be 

cision of the matter to ihose who were actors at robbed of his honors, and be permitted to sink m 

that time, and to such e.vperiente as that of my forgetfulness to the grave, with his bodv coverfd 

CO leagte, [Mr. C ,] who informs us that he is a with wounds received on the field of battle in his 

colonel. But with all my inexperience. I will country's cause, for the base purposes of party. The 

venture one opinion, and that is, if the Indians had glorious battle of the Thames occupies one of the 

commenced the work of death two hours sooner ; brighteU and proudest pages of American history. 

or il they had had the Joshua who commanded the Its history is not belter kno^n than the fact that (^ol. 

armies of Israel an J Gibeon, Egainst the five kings R. M. Johnson is its hero. If ingratitude could pal- 

of the AinoriteS, to have commanded t.'ie sun to sy the tongue, he would be m^de dumb who would 

stand still two hours, and iherul'y given them two deny liim the name of hero and the conquerer of the 

hours more of darkness to have performed the work Thames. The indignation of a prouJ and grateful 

of deatd, General Harrison, and every man of his nation will rest upon the wretch wlio will attempt 

array, would have been cut ofl'. Net a man, in all to rob or steal the escutcheon dedicated by a nation s 



19 



fratitude to Col. R. M. Joimeon fur his braTery, at the lamo moment would attack iha loJiaD*, 
gallantry, "and patriotism, in the battle of the Thames. Colonel Johnson crossed the swamp with the second 
Sir, iti that baitlfi he gained laurels which do him baitalion, and. by three charging colnmns, made 
the highest honoi in life, and will adorn his memo- the attack on the Indi.tns at ihe same moment uut 
ry in death, while there is a free American on whose his brother James attacked the British, both at the 
lips his name can dwell. Who ever before heard sound of the bugle. In less than tilieen minutes 
Gen. Harrison called the Hero of the Thatnes ! after the charge was made on the Briush, they sur- 
VVhy, the phrase, "Co^ J.hnson tht Hero "/ the rendered; ihey were ordered to stack their arms, 
TAam«g," IS so identified with American prononcia- and were conducied by dairies Johnson prisoners 
tion, thu no tongue of the present generation can of war to Geti. Harri.^on, and uelivered to him at 
be taught to pronounce the name of Gen. Harrison the head of the infantry, a mile in ihc rear of the 
as a sulistnute for Col. Johnson, by prefixing it to battle. By pcniissiun of General Hirnson, James 
"Hero of the Thames." Johnson returned and joined hs bro:her. Colonel 

Sir, this base attempt at robbery of the honors Richard, who was »iill fighting, and engaged with 
of Col. Johnson neces.-arily compels me to ask your his batialion in the fi^ht with the Indians I have 
attention a few moments while I attempt a .-hort stated that Colonel Richard M. Johnson made the 
description of the batile of the Thames, and the se- attack on the Indians liy three charging columns, 
veral parts that Gen. Harrison and Col. Johnson but that mode of attack proved unsuccissful, owing 
performed in it. to the thicket or uiiderl ru=h and other obstructions 

As It is not my purpose to give a history of the which covered the ground, which made the hoises 
last war, nor of?the march of the Northwestern army useless. The men were ordered to dismount, and 
from Fort Maiden to the river Thames, I will com- fight the Indians in their own way, and in that way 
mence my description on the battleground ; and as the hatlle was finished and victory obtained, 
it is the relative claims to honor of Gen. Harrison At the onset of the battle ColoNel Jolmson was 
and Col. Johnson, that are at issue, my description at the head of what was called the lorlorn hope, 
shall be principally with referenie to them. (twenty select men) and that hope in Iroiii of ilie 

The enemy was overtaken by the American charging columns. On the charge, and at ihe first 
troops, on the river Thames, about a mile and a fire, every man of that ho(ie was cut off or unhorsed, 
half below the Moravian towns. The British regu- e.xcept the Colonel himself (and one other.) who re- 
lars, in number six or seven hundred, were stretched ceived several wounds. After they were dismounted 
across a narrow piece of ground, with the river on Col. Johnson still continued in ihe front of the bat- 
theirleft, and a long, deepnarrow swampon their rioht. tie, and be ween his men and the Indians until he 
The Indians were posted on the right of the Briti.-h came in contact with Tecumseh, and shot him. 
«n the other side ot the swamp, commencing at the When the Indians saw their Chief fall, they took 
edge of the swamp, and extending to the right in the to flisiht, and were pursued by Major Thomp.^on for 
form of a half nsoon. somedistance. Col. Johnson sunk under his wounds 

Colonel Johnson, with his mounted regiment, first and was borne from the field, 
overtook the enemy, and were in advance of the Where was General Harrison during this action 1 
infantry some three or four miles As soon as the My colleague [Vlr. Corwin] says, that he was in the 
enemy was overtaken, and his position known Gen- rear, where he ought 'o have been ; but some o( the 
eral Harrison, who was with the infantrv, was in- demagogues and hired minions of the day, say " that 
formed thereof. As soon as Colonel Johnson dis- he was in the heat of the battle, and m all parts of 
covered the enemy, and his position, he formed his it.'" The statement of one fact will place that false- 
troops in charging columns, except one company of hood in its proper place 

spies, which W.1S dismoun'.ed, and stretched across Col Johnson received five balls through his body 
between the river and the swamp in open order be- and limbs. His clothes and accoutremems were 
fore the charging columns, and fronting the British perforated and cut from head to foot >.\ith ball-, and 
line. At the moment this form of a'tack was exe- the chartrer which he rode received fifteen wounds 
cuted General Harrison arrived ; and, upon consul- by rifle balls, of which he died m a few minutes f- 
tation with Colonel Johnson, permitted him to ter the action was over How was it, then, il Geii- 
charge the eneniv, and returned himself to the infan- eral Harrison was "in the heat o' the bilile, and in 
try which was ahout a mile at that time in the rear, everv part of it," that he came off wthoui the smell 
When General Harrison left Colonel Johnson, it of powder upon his earmenisl His escaps must 
was su()posed that the swamp could not be crossed, have been as miraculous as the escape o; Daniel 
Consequently, the attack could not be made upon from the den of hnnarv l;ons, and of Shadrach, M«- 
the Indians and British at the same time. It was shach, and Abednego, from the fiery (urnace. The 
therefore agreed that Colonel Johnson should be day of miracles has passed. General H.irrison was 
permitted to fight the British alone, first, because not " in the heat o^ the battle of Thames, and every 
there waa not room for the cavalry and infantrv to part of it," and he had aiiout as much to do with 
fight at the same time, and secondly, because infan- command in the action as John Rogers, who was 
try and cavalry cannot fight together on the same burnt at the stake. 

ground at the same time. After General Harrison Colorel R. .\I. Johnson commanded in the battle 

of the Thames. 

" Colonel R. M. Johnion is the hero of the 
Thames." 

I believe that General Harrison did his duty. But 



left Colonel Johnson, the latter discovered that the 
swamp could bo crossed. Colonel Johnson then or- 
dered his brother, Lieutenant Colonel Jamea John- 
son, to take command of the first baitalion, and at. 



tack the British at the sound of the bugle, when he it is casting a dark reflection on General Harrison to 



90 



17J!^<11^"aI ) °^,'^\^,''l^ r"^" ^"'^' ^^'^^ "^ Odyracea and plunge h.mself into the thick- 

ernor Shelby and his infantry." All the fighting was est of the enemy, when his armv stormed that city, 
done on a square of not more than the lourth of a Hannibal fought in the front ranks of the battle of 

mile, it ilie inlaniry were jjrescut, why were the Cannaj. 

Indians not -.aken prisoners ! If General Harrison In the celebrated battle between Caesar and Pom- 
could nave cros.^ed the swamps, and did not, he was pey, the former was in the front ranks from thecom- 
hi^hly to blame ior permitting a single battalion to menceinent of the engagement, until the latter, with 
fight twelve or fiiiten hundred Indians near an hour, his troous, was routed. 

li he did cross the swamp with the infantry, and he Miliiades fought in person at the head and front 

and they were actually in the fight, that strips the of his army against the Persians, in the memorable 

bait.e of all Its brilliancy, and the American arms of battle of Marathon. 

honor; for all the Indians escaped, except what fell. But later, (and my coil-ague brings it to mv 

It the dragoons were fighting the Indians for near mind.) when Napoleon attempted to pass a bridge 

an hour in close grapple, why were the infantry not at Lodi, his troops were cut otf as fast as they we% 

ordered to surround u.e Indians, and take them pris- marched up. column after column. He rushed to 

oners ! Mr, attempt to rob Colonel Johnson and his the head of the foremost column, in the midst of 

gal.ant regiment of the glory of that battle, and that the thickest fire, seized the standard, and ordered 

moment you run into incxplicahle difficulties, and his troops to follow him. So. sir, commanding gen- 

bring disgiace upon the American arms, and dis- erals have not always posted themselves in ihe rear 

honor upon the commander. The history o( the at the time of battle. 

battle 01 the Thames had be'ter be permitted to I would not have presented these illustrations with 

stand as it is, and as the world understands it. The a view to apply them to General Harrison's position 

politic-al cause of General Harrison will not be ad- at the battle ot the Thames, only that my colleague 

vanced by violating truth, justice, and honor. The seemed desirous of turning his position to some po- 

Ameucan people, ever ready to mete the reward of litical advantage, by assigning the rear as the proptr 

gratitude to those who delend their counir/ in the place for him. ' ^ ° ^^ 

hour of peril, have also the capacity and discrimina- My colleague seemed to lay claim to the Presi- 

tion .0 award justice and honor to whom justice and dency for General Harrison, because his history 
honor are due. j .. . r u u- . r .u 

covered a great part of the history ot this country. 

That argument, of itself, has but little weight in it. 
Some of the basest and most perfidious wretches 
that ever disgraced the image of man, and the vilest 
scourges that ever lived to curse the human family, 
have occupied the largest portion of history, and 



1 he gentleman from Michigan, [Mr. Crary,] in 
his remarks, thought that, in the confusion and tur. 
moil of the surjirise ot Tippecanoe, the commanding 
Oeneral should have been in his tent, where he 
might have been found by the officers who sought 
his orders. To this " .„ . _ & 



, . my colleague [Col. Corwin] their names, though known in infamy alone, stand 

took exceptions, and favored us with many illustra- foremost on the records of human history. It is not 
Uons and exainples to prove that the commanding the historical recollections of any man that secures 
Creneral should be at the head of his army, and in to him respect and confidence in his own day. The 
the iront ot the battlp ; but when he was forced to man who has rendered services, civil or military, 
admit that General Harrison was in the rear of the will find those services written in the hearts of his 
battle ot the Ihames, with the infantry, he assured countrymen, and their alTectionaie remembrance 
us, without any explanation or qualification, that will be transmitted to their oosteriiy. If General 
that was the proper place for the commanding Gen- Harrison has rendered service's to his country which 
eral. I believe, under all the circumstances, it was have not been cancplled, there is always a spirit of 
the proper place for General Harrison. These cir- gratitude identified with, and forming apart of, the 
curnstances 1 have attempted to explain, though my very nature of the American people, to reward them 
colleague left us without explanation I will at- whenever the demand is made, so that it be not at 
tempt some illustrations to [.rove that the rear of an the expense of political principle. 
enemy has nol alicuys been the position which com- Has General Harrison uncancelled claims upon 
manding Generals have occupied in time of battle. his country, and what are their character 1 If they 
In the great battle of Thymbrea between Cyrus are pecuniary, present them. Are they upon the 
and '^rossus, in which the whole power of the Per- gratitude of the people ? If so, how are they to bo 
lans and Medes was arrayed against the Lydians liquidated 1 By a sacrifice of all political prmciple 
nd Assyrians, after Cyrus had finished the order of on the part of "the Democracy of this country, do 
attack, and was prepared to make the onset, he you suppose 1 No, sir. The Republicans of this 
tlrank a little wine, poured some uponf the ground as conntry hold their Democratic princioles too sacred 
a tibation to the gods, mounted his horse in the front to barter them off in gratitude for any man's servi- 
ot his army, and called out, '^Follow me." He ces, however valuable" they may have been. IfGe- 
continucd to fight m front of the army until the bat- neral Jackson, at any time in the zenith of his popu- 
tle vvas finished. jarity, with all the brilliancy and glory that surround- 

Alexander the Great commanded in person the ed his name, and all his transcendant services that 
right wing of his army against the Persians at the constituted his country's boast, with all the unmea- 
batlle ot the Granicus; he was the first to enter the sured and unmeasurable flow of national gratitude 
"t^""' ^^A '** tj*^' *"*^ encounter the enemy on the in his favor, had, in the course of his political ca- 
otherside. He continued to fight in the front ranks reer, deserted or abandoned one of the fundamental 
until victory was his. principles of Democracy, the Republican party would 

Ihe same Alexander was the first to mount the have abandoned him politically, though they would 



an 



21 



have retained their gratitude for his services Nor, 
sir, if the Father of our Country were to rise from 
the tomb and walk forth amongst us, demanding of 
the Republican party a sacrifice ol their principles 
at the shrine of graliiude, it would be denied him. 
Gratitude is one thing wilh the Democracy, and po- 
litical principle is another — the latter never can be 
sacrificed to the former. But more of this before I 
close. 

I desire to inquire if the Federal party are sincere 
in their manifestations of gratitude to General Har- 
rison for his iniliiary services. I have before expo- 
sed their inconsisiency in relation to their support of 
a military chieftain tor the Presidency ; but I now 
desire to know whether all this show has any foun- 
dation in gratitude. Gratitude is one of the noblest 
principles that claims a residence in the human bo- 
som, while hypocrisy is one of the vilest that cor- 
rupts the heart of man. And now, sir, I fearlessly 
assert, that all this parade of gratitude for the mili- 
tary services of General Harrison is fiction and 
flummery ; it is the result of contemptible dema- 
goguisin and corrupt hypocrisy for the purposes of 
party deception. You have neither confidence in 
the skill and qualifications of Gen. Harrison, nor 
gratitude for his services. 

I say you have no confidence in his skill or quali- 
fications, and bavins none yourselves, (vou, the Fed- 
eral leaders,) you believe secretly that the American 
people have none ; hence it is you deem it necessa- 
ry, as a substitute for the want of confidence, to 
thatch the country with certificates, thick and nume- 
rous as leaves in autumn. Why, sir, I hold a .speech 
in my hand — a long speech — made and published by 
my colleague, [Mr. Goode,] literally made up of 
certificates, to prove that General Harrison has done 
some service to his country. So it is with every 
speech made here : one half of the contents of ev- 
ery Federal newspaper consists in certificates of 
General Harrison's military services. Every wind 
that whistles past us rattles with certificates, paper 
resolves, dinnerparty harangues, and stump ora- 
tions, all to prove that the Federal candidate for the 
Presidency has been a General — has done service 
to his country — and is now a military chieftain ; all 
of which, with the reflecting man, only goes to 
prove that the manufacturers of those certificates 
believe that the man for whom they are certifying 
has little or no hold on the confidence and hfT^'ctions 
of the people. If General Harrison has rendered 
services of such a character as to entitle him to the 
first office in the gift of the American people, do 
you suppose they don't know hi If lie has not 
rendered such service, do you suppose you can ma- 
nufacture a pasteboard General out of shinplaster 
certificates, and pass him off for a military chieftain 1 
If you do, you will find yourselves as much mista- 
ken as you were in the political effects of John Binn's 
coffin handbills. 

Sir, I think your array of certificates degrades 
General Harrison. If I were his political friend, as 
1 am his personal, I would deprecate and denounce 
your certificate system as deerading and politically 
impolitic. As it is with me, I say General Harrison 
deserves better and more dignified treatment. By 
such a course of treatment, you fasten upon his name 
in life, and his memory in death, the odious cognomen 



of "th€ eertificale Oeneral." If you are atncere in 
your demonstrations of gratitude for the services of 
General Harrison, why did you let them sleep, 
almost without notice, for more than a quarter of a 
century 1 Why did you let one entire generation 
[)ass away, and part of another, without even waking 
them up by the thuuderiiig artillery, in celebration 
of ihe "battle of Tippecanoe?" Who ever heard 
of the celebration of the ^'battle of Tippecanoe," until 
p.fter the lapse of more than a quarter of a century 1 
Why did you let General Harrison glide down iha 
hill of tune to Us very horizon before you once 
thought of gladdening his heart by demonstrations 
of gratitude for his perilous services in "the battle 
of TippccanoeV Now when he is treading on the 
broken and decayed planks of 'he bridge of time, 
when the clouds of night begin to thicken about his 
head — when the death-bell of threescore and ten 
begins to ring in his ears, just when the Divine 
lease for the longest life of man is about to expire, 
and just when, according to the terms of that lease, 
he must take his leap from the horizon of time to 
eternity ; just when, with all your demonstrations of 
gratitude, if even accompanied with artillery's loudest 
thundering peals, you can hardly quicken the pulsa- 
tion of the relaxed, time-worn artery, as it drives 
the stream of life sluggishly along its quivering 
channel, you commence celebrating '■'the battle of 
Tippecanoe. ^^ You are not sincere, I repeat. AJl 
your outward demonstrations of gratitude are nothing 
but cant and hypocrisy, worthy of a demagogue and 
a reckless and unprincipled faction, who stand pre- 
pared to seize and possess yourselves of power, 
even at the sacrifice of the principles of your 
government and the prostration of your free institu- 
tions. It is power and office you are hunting after, 
as the hungry hyena howls across the sultry desert 
of Sahara. 

But are you sincere ; and do you really want to 
cast your suffrage for a militarv man 1 Then I pre- 
sent you the name of Colonel Richard M. Juhnson, 
He is a candidate not for the first office in yoMr gift, 
but for the second. He has done service to bis 
country. He has dis'inguished himself as a states- 
man in the cabinet, and as a soldier in the field. 
His name stands foremost of all now living in the 
history of his country's praise. His <ivil life has 
been devoted to his country's highest interests. The 
fiee institution&of the government haveever received 
a steady and powerful support from his hand while 
in the councils of the nation. The claims of the 
Revolutionary soldier have always had his strictest 
attention. VVhile a member of Congress, his time, 
his talents, and his influence, have been devoted to 
that remnant, who linger in life and old age, only to 
link ihe living with the dead, and to tell with living 
lips, and a warm heart, the stories of the Revoluiion. 
The never ceasing praise of the soldier's widow and 
the soldier's orphan are his. His heart is formed of 
kindness, and melts at the demand of charity and 
need. His home is the home of the poor man. His 
table stands spread for the hungry, and his purse is 
ever open to the purposes of charity and humanity. 
Then Col. Johnson has some civil claims upon your 
suffrage. He is the friend of the human family ; 
will you cast him your suffrage T No, he must be « 
military roan these chivalrous times, and in thi» 



22 



Federal day of military jubilee. Bat he too is a 
military chieftain. He fought in the same war with 
GfcDeral Harrison He fought the enemy two to 
one on the plains of the Thames ; conquered and 
came otf victorious, covered with wounds, "iie is 
the hero of the Thames.''' 

His deeds of daring, bravery, and patriotism, are 
recorded in the hearts of an affectionate people ; the 
song of praise and a nation's gratitude are his. His 
claims present themselves not on monuments, or 
slabs of marble, nor need you turn to history's page 
for them — they live in the bosom of freemen — they 
animate the grateful hearts of freemen, and dwell in 
delight upon the lips of those who love to praise 
their country. He comes not enveloped in a cloud 
of shinplaster certificates to prove he has fought his 
country's battles. No, sir, the Lacked weapons of 
our country's foe, the bones of the enemy that 
bleach on the plains of the Thames, a limping gait, 
and a body covered with deep wounds and scars 
received in deadly conflict, hardly yet cicatrized, 
are his certificates. 1 he manly and noble indigna- 
tion of a proud people would be the reward, and 
rest upon him who would attempt to establish Col. 
Johnson's services in the field or the cabinet by 
paper certificates — such a one would be spurned 
from his presence, scouted from society, and held in 
contempt. I say the scars that cover his body are 
his certificates His certificates will go down to 
the grave with him ; but they will live in memory 
while an American heart beats in love for its 
country, and until the tongue that praises is struck 
dumb. 

Will you (the Federalists) cast your suffrages for 
Col. Johnson for the second office in your gift ? No, 
you will not. The epitaph of '-poor John Wnods" 
will cover every ticket that Col. Johnson will receive 
from the tajiered fingered Federal Bank Abolition 
Whigs at the next Presidential election. 

There have been times when the reckless ambi- 
tion of party gave way to the full sway of merited 
gratitude, when all were prepared to award to merit 
her due. At the fierce and bloody battle of Ithoma, 
between the Massineans and the Lacademonians, 
two individuals who had distinguished themselves 
most in the battle on the side of the Massineans, 
after the close of the bjttle, were competitors for the 
prize of glory and honor. They were Aristomenes 
and Cleonis, The former had slain a great many of 
the enemy, and distinguiahed himself in a most sig- 
nal manner ; but came out of the fight without 
wounds or tlie loss of blood. Cleonis had distin- 
guished himself equally with his competitor, and 
slain an equal number of the enemy ; nut was so 
covered with woiiiids, and such was his loss of blood, 
that he had to be carried from the field. Each ar- 
gued his case before the court military in presence 
of the whole armv. Cleonis founded his cl.iims U[i- 
on the great number of the eiiemv he had slain, and 
the nun.ber of wounds with which he was covered, 
were so many certificates of his braverv. Aristo- 
menes contended that he had displayed as much 
courage, and slain as many of the enemy as his 
competitor, and had borne him on h's slioulders in 
his helpless condition fiom the field, and he was 
eorry to find that Cleonis should want gratitude. — 
Ckionre replied, that if Aristomenes had endangered 



his person as much as he had, he was rery fortunat<j 
in escaping unhurt ; and that his carrying him off 
the field only showed his strength of body, not his 
courage. Aristomenes rejoined, that the fact of his 
having the skill and power to ward off the blows of 
his adversaries was to his credit, rattier than to his 
disadvantage, and ought to be so considered. If it 
was by cowardice (and that no one would charge 
upon htm,) he saved himself from wounds, he ought, 
indeed, to be on his trial for punishment and in- 
famy. 

The friends of General Harrison and the friends 
of Colonel Johnson have placed them before the 
American people, and contend, on their behalf, for 
each, the award of glory and honor gained in the 
battle of the Thames. Colonel Johnson commanded, 
fought, slew the enemy, conquered, and was borne 
oflf the field, covered with wounds, and sinking from 
the loss of blood General Harrison did not com- 
mand, did not fight, and left the field without 
wounds, or loss of blood. To which will ^ou award 
the honor, Cleonis or Aristomenes 1 

No, sir : Colonel Johnson will receive no Federal 
votes, not even for the second office in your gift, 
while General Harrison will receive every Federal 
vote in the Union for the first office. 

It is not military fame nor civil services that you 
are trying to reward ; yoi-r great object is to over- 
throw a Democratic Administration, and establish a 
Federal Administration. You are emphatically the 
Federal party. I care not what name you periodi- 
cally assume to yourselves. You are the same party 
who endeavored to strip the States of all sovereignty 
and independence, and establish a central and con- 
solidated Federal Govermnent, at the commence- 
ment ol our political Union. You are the same 
party that passed and maintained the odious and dis- 
graceful alien and sedition laws. You are the same 
party who, from the commencement of the Govern- 
ment to this day, have been exerting yourselves to 
the extent of your powers and abihties to fi.x upon 
this nation and this people a great central moneyed 
power in the character of a National Bank, the ten- 
dency and nature of which is to esiabhsh two dis- 
tinct orders of society, and make the one hewers of 
wood and drawers of water to the other. You are 
the same party, with seme individual exceptions, 
who were opposed to the last war with Great Britain, 
and will be to the next. You are the same party 
who vtere arrayed against the election and adminis- 
tration of Thoin:.s Jefferson, and to every other 
Democratic Administration from that time to this. 
You are the same party who have ever held in con- 
tempt the free exercise of the elective franchise, and 
sneer at the riglit of instruction, and have more than 
once violated both. Caricature, slander, and false- 
hood were the means by which you electioneered 
against Thomas Jefferson ; and they are the means 
l>v which you electioneer now, and have from that 
time to this. 

Thomas Jefferson was denounced as an atheist, 
and many of the good and unsuspecting people were 
taught to believe that if he should he elected Presi- 
dent of the United States, all the public houses 
dedicated to the worship of God would be turned 
into houses of infamy and debauchery. That the 
land would be oTerspread with French infidelity, and 



23 



.all the Bibles would be burnt ; and so strong vpere 
these impressions enforced, that many of the pious 
matrons, on hearing of the flection of Thomas Jef- 
feraon, hid their Bibles in hollow trees, in the woods. 
Caricature ! Yes, sir, I hold in my hand a carica- 
ture, entitled, "Modern Pmlanihropy. or the Age 
of Reason," and "dedicated res|iecifijl]y to Torn 
JefTerson, Tom Paine, the Devil, and Black Sail." 

In this caricature, yon see Tliomas Jefferson is 
represented in the act of cowhidiiigan old ladv, with 
a grasp by the throat so light, that her eve balls are 
started from their sockets, her tongue lolled out, and 
she upon her knees, with her arms :>tretchiid out in an 
imploring attitude ; her Bible is under his foot. 

Tom Paine is represented as havinij one hand on 
JeflTerson's shoulder, and the other stretched out, with 
his Age of Reason in it. Black Sail stands on the 
right, and the Salt Mountain is seen at a distance 
through the window. Yes, sir, one of the Federal 
modes of electioneering at that day, was by degra- 
ding caricatures, ever considered, since the dawn of 
civilization, the basest and meanest mode of linellmg. 
So, too, it WHS the Fed ral mode of electioneering 
in 1824, and 1828. I hold in my hand one of John 
Binn's coffin handbills, on which, vou see, is repre- 
sented eighteen coffins, said on the bill to corres- 
pond with the number of innocent and unoffending 
persons that General Jackson murdered, cither him- 
self, or caused to be shot. Also, a short biographi- 
cal sketch of the life and death of those unfortunate 
victims of General Jackson's liarbaritv, each conclu- 
ding with a verse or two of so'emn poetry, set to the 
tune of Old Hundred. Here, also, is the tomb of 
" Poor John Woodi," with his epitaph written. This 
was one of the Federal modes of electioneering in 
1824 and 1828 ; and it is one of the modes now of 
electioneermg. 1 hold in my hand a caricature, 
which represents Mr. Van Buren by the body of a 
reptile, with the head of a man, winding his way up 
a steep rock, and General Jackson by the body of a 
tortoise and the head of a man, descending from the 
top of the same rock, with the inscription under- 
neath : — 

"High places in Government, like steep rocks, 
only accessible to eagles andreplilesV 

Yes, sir, caricature is one of the modes of elec- 
tioneering now. 

The Federal party now are the same party called 
Federalists in 1798 — their principles are the same, 
and their base ai:d slanderous mode of electioneering 
is the same. Tens of thousands and hundreds of 
thousands of these vile panders of falsehood and 
slander have been franked by Whig members, and 
sent from this Capitol by mail, at the \ ubiic expense, 
and distributed all over the Union, to advance the 
cause of the "log cabin candidate" for the Presiden- 
cy. How often have the people rebuked such 
^ase conduct — such degrading attempts at insult 
upon their understanding ! When will these Whiiis 
learn wisdom ; when will they learn to appreciate 
the intelligence of the people 1 

Genetal Harrison has been presented as the avail- 
able candidate by the Whigs. What makes him 
available ! fs it because he is a militarv man ! \^ 
it is intended he shall be available bv the Democracy, 
he wants another requisite. He must be a Demo- 
crat. General Jackson was elected President, not 



merely becaose he was a military man, not merely 
because he had rendered transccndant military ser- 
vices to his country in her darkest hour and greatest 
peril, but because he was a Democrat, and had al- 
ways been identified with the Democratic party. — 
General Harrison refuses to inform us what his 
political firinciples are at this lime, and what his 
views are in relation to the great questions that in- 
terest this country at this time, and his political 
conscience-keepers refuse to answer for him. Wo 
must, therefore, be governed in this matter by cir- 
cumstances. John Randolph called Gen. Harrison 
a Federalist to his face in Congress, and said that 
he (Harrison) was a friend to the FtiJeral black cock- 
ade administration of old Jolin Adams. General 
Harrison did not deny the former, and he virtually 
admitted the latter. To my knowledge, and to the 
knowledge of all who have known him as I have. 
General Harrison has been acting with the Federal 
[)arty for twenty years, and sustaining all their mea- 
sures, principles, and policy. I know him to have 
been in favor of the re-charter ot the Bank of the 
United States. I know him to have been opposed to 
the removal of the deposiies of the public money 
from the Bank of the United States and the branch- 
es thereof. He is opposed to a sej'aralion of the 
Government from the rotton, tottering, and swin- 
dling bankinsr institutions of this day ; consequently 
he is opposed to the establishment of an independ- 
ent, constitutional, and national Treasury. Like 
the party to which he belongs, and whose candidate 
he is, he is in favor of a high protective tariff, shin- 
plaster currency, a national debt, surplus revenue, 
and splendid schemes of internal improvement, and 
coiiseqnentiv impost ta.xes. In short, he is in favor 
of the Hamiltonian system of policv — a system by 
which two hundred millions of the British debt have 
been saddled upon this country and this people, and 
under which the commercial community are now 
groaning ; a splendid Government, an aristocratic 
order, and a poor people, will be the offspring of 
such a policy. 

Are we to be told that the present State debts, 
which have produced the scarcity of money and the 
depressed price of produce which now exist, grew 
out ofthe policy of this or the last National Admin- 
istration 1 These Administrations have had about 
as much to do with the Stale debts, and the State 
improvements which have created the debts, as the 
Government of Spain. 

Are we to be told that the system of credit and 
the use of paper money, which are the parents of 
all the embarrassments, pecuniary and commercial, 
had their origin with this orthe last AdtninistrationT 
Why, sir, it has been a cardinal maxim, and a fun- 
damental principle with this and the last Adminis- 
trations, to establish a sound, uniform, and constitu- 
tional currency, by which that very policy, so 
pernicious to, and destructive of, our best interests, 
would be put down. I mean the banking paper and 
credit system, which is the source and fountain of 
all our difficulties and embarrassments, and a system 
which had its origin with the financial administration 
of Alexander Hamilton, and th^ introduction of his 
Natio :al Bank and credit policy. The struggle now 
between the two great contending parties is, wheth- 
er the Hamiltonian Bank credit and paper currency 



24 



aystsm shall be rerived, confirmed, and fastened 
upon this country, with all the train of evils which 
have, and will again, follow such a system, such as 
a national debt, htavy impost taxes, an unsound 
currency, bank suspensions, bank failures, and 
bank blo\»'.ups, paper contractions and paper expan- 
sions, high prices to-day and low prices tomorrow, 
dec. — or shall we establish a soimd and uniform 
currency, the currency conteniplated by the patriots 
of the Revolution and the frainers of the Gonsiilu- 
tion ; and a currency, too, that will enforce regu- 
larity in trade, foreign and domestic, and uniformity 
in the prices of every article of bargain and barter 1 
Shall we limit our revenue to the wants of the Go- 
vernment, and keep our public improvements and 
expenditures within our means, and within the con- 
stitutional powers of Congress 1 In short, is it not 
better that we should have a limited Government, 
with free institutions — a poor Government, and a 
rich people ! 

The question now is. General Harrison, a Nation- 
al Bank, a splendid Government, poor people, a shin- 
plaster cur.-ency, and a privileged order, against 
Martin Van Buren, a sound currency, an Indepen- 
dent Treasury, (independent of the banks,) rigid 
economy, a poor Government, a rich people, and 
equal rights. Which side do you take, sir? and as 
I cannot answer that question, 1 will tell you which 
side I take ; I go for Kinderhook, and the Indepen- 
dent Treasury ; I go with the hard-handed industry; 
I go with those who depend upon their own resour- 
ces for their living ; the farmer and the mechanic, 
all of which constitute the Democracy of this coun- 
try and of every oiher. Yes, sir, I go with them 
against Gen. Harrison, a National Bank, and the 
modern Whig party, who are made up of 

Coxcombs and dandies, and loafers and nibblers ; 
Shavers and blacklegs, and pedlers and scribblers : 
Bankers and brokers and cunning buffoons ; 
Thieves that steal millions, and thieves that steal 

spoons ; 
Rascals in ruffles, and rascals in rags ; 
Beggars in coaches, and beggars in nags ; 
Quackers and doctors, with scalpels and squills ; 
Pettifoggers and lawyers, with green bags and bills; 
Shylocks unfeeling, and dealers in stocks ; 
Some dashing fine ladies '. in splendid silk frocks. 
Such is the crew that for Harrison bellows, 
Always excepiing some very fine fellows. 

Do vou desire to know ihe feelings of the West- 
ern people in relation to Harrison, Jackson, John- 
son and their relative services 1 lean tell you. — 
If a western man is asked his opinion of General 
Harrison, his answer will be, nineteen times out of 



twenty, that General Harrison is a very good man, 
and was a tolerable General. He has done his 
country some service, and that perhaps he discharg- 
ed his otiicial duties in the Ia»t war, about as well as 
could be expected, all circumstances considered — 
This, sir, I repeat will be the general answer. In 
some instances a higher opinion will be expressed^ 
ill some instances a lower one. My colleagues on 
this floor, Whigs and Democrats, will bear nne out 
in what I say ; but when you hear Jackson and 
Johnson named, they are named in praise and song- 
Were you ever at a corn shucking in the West 1 — ■ 
If you were, vou never left it without hearing the 
wool hat and linsey hunting shirt sing — 

Mary Rogers are a case, 

And so are Sally Thompson, 

General Jackson are a horse, 

And so is Colonel Johnson. 
I see, sir, in some of the Western Whig papers, 
the name ^'■Harrison Dcmncrats.'"'' This is a ne\» 
name under the sun. Well, sir, as the world grows 
older names will increase. New names will run 
paripassu with the world's age, and with ttie cun- 
ning and trickery of Federalism. " Harrison DcmO' 
crats," in the West are like the Frenchman's flee : 
when you attempt to put your finger on them they 
are not there. " Harrison Democrats" may be put 
in the list with mermaids, sea serpents, and uni- 
corns. They are names in fancy, fiction, and poetry. 
Sir, if you can catch a " Harrison Dimocrat," take 
him to Ohio and exhibit him. I would advise you 
also to accompany the exhibition with a Whig buf- 
foon that can jump " Jim Crow" to the music of the 
psaher, tamberine, and the sackbut. You will clear 
more hard cash in a day than you will by playing 
Congressman a month. 

In conclusion, let me say, the Democracy under- 
stand and a(ipreciate their principles. They have 
stood by them in prosperiiy and adversity, through 
bank panics and Federal frauds, through good and 
through evil report. They are not now to be driven 
from their position by the stale cry of "panic .'" or 
drawn from their principles l)y the empty show and 
buffoon display of log cabins, hard cider, and shin- 
plaster-certificate military renown. Principle is the 
watchword with the Democracy, and principle they 
will maintain. The Democracy of this country hug 
to their bosoms, and cherish in their hearts their 
principles as they revere the sacred memories of 
their ancestors, who secured them with their trea- 
sure, their blood, and their lives ; they will as soon 
be guilty of the base ingratitude of forgetting the 
one, and to desert the other, either by ihreats, flat- 
tery or bribery. 



LB JL '10 



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LIBRARY OF 



CONGRESS 




011 896 385 4 




